The East Coast Trail deserves protection
On July 3, I received a call from the Governor General’s office in Ottawa informing me that I would be awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for my years of service with the East Coast Trail Association (ECTA). To say I am thankful and proud would be an understatement — 13 committed and dedicated members of the ECTA board from the early years were recognized with this honour on Aug. 21.
I am receiving the award for my volunteer involvement with the ECTA since its incorporation in 1994, for my five years of serving on the board of directors from 1996 to 2001 and for serving as co-chair of the lobbying committee. I also sat on the first project management committee from 1997 to 2001. The ECTA’S first funding in 1997 was in partnership with the Southern Shore Development Association (SSDA). We formed this committee with three reps from the ECTA and three reps from the SSDA to oversee the first development with paid employees.
It took enormous effort by the lobbying committee and many meetings with politicians to get them to understand that the coastal hiking trail we so believed in would bring thousands of out-of-province hikers here. We had done our homework and had numbers to back up our argument, having studied hiking trails in Atlantic Canada, Ontario, British Columbia, as well as the Appalachian Trail in the United States. We argued that hikers are tourists, and promoting Newfoundland as a hiking destination would pay dividends down the road. And we were right. The East Coast Trail attracted over 15,000 hikers in 2017 (close to 60 per cent of them from outside of the province) who contributed more than $3.5 million in tourism spending.
Volunteers cutting a wilderness hiking trail was a great idea in theory, but the task was beyond monumental. It would take forever to route and develop it; we had rivers to cross, bridges to be designed and built. Kilometres of boardwalk was needed to protect sensitive bogs and marshes; thousands of steps had to be placed. Signs and maps were needed to promote the trail system. All this was costly and without government support we would not have been successful.
The La Manche swinging bridge was a dream for years, even before we received funding to design and construct this landmark. The grand opening of the 50- metre suspension bridge on June 17, 2000 was a significant milestone and a great celebration for the ECTA.
I’d like to give two people I have great respect for honorable mention. One is Randy Murphy, who has been president of the ECTA since 1995. The trail would not be up to the standard it is today and be recognized worldwide with national awards without the guidance, leadership and commitment of this fine individual. Also, Ed Delaney of Bay Bulls, the trail operations manager. He routed the course of the trail and has overseen the carpenters and labourers who have built and maintain the trail since Day 1.
He continues as the first ECTA employee.
I call on the provincial government to support and work with the East Coast Trail Association in developing an act to protect the east coast. We’ve been lobbying for this since the late ’90s. We foresaw and discussed that land issues would be a problem with the trail 20 years ago. If the ECTA had an act in place, the situation at Ragged Beach in Witless Bay would not be happening. Beaches Path, which runs from Witless to Mobile, starts at Ragged Beach. Sounding Hills Path, which runs from Ferryland to Aquaforte, has been closed to hikers for the past two years because of a private land issue.
The Grand Concourse in St. John’s has legislation to protect their trail system.
We have a diamond in the tourism sector, built by volunteers. But we need politicians to step up and pass legislation to protect this world class trail. The East Coast Trail creates jobs and generates millions for our tourism sector. But if we don’t protect it, it will slowly be ruined.
Please, respect, promote and support the East Coast Trail.
We have a diamond in the tourism sector, built by volunteers. But we need politicians to step up and pass legislation to protect this world class trail.