Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association

Who we are

2011-06-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

Cole Harbour Parks & Trails Association is determined to preserve a piece of iconic Nova Scotia for future generations.

Standing on the drumlin and looking eastward across the salt marsh, one appreciates the natural beauty of our province. The rhythms of the tides and seasons; the echoes of the lives of first peoples, fishermen and farmers; the smell of the balsam and the mud flats, the hovering Osprey – all this and more will be here for our children's children.

Cole Harbour Parks & Trails Association
51 Forest Hills Parkway, # 13
Dartmouth, NSB2W 6C6
(902) 462-5706
chpta@ns.sympatico.ca

Board Position on Power Corridor

2011-06-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

“If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know who you are” says the sage. As you drive east on Cole Harbour Road, there are few landmarks to distinguish this place from hundreds of others. McDonalds, car dealerships, strip malls, developments, pavement, power poles. Which way to Mississauga?

That is until you get to the top of Long Hill and suddenly there it is! The Nova Scotia we keep in our imagination is right there, all the way to Lawrencetown and beyond. Drumlins, the marsh, spruces, fields. Breathtaking! Would you be surprised to see someone cutting hay with a scythe? A yoke of oxen? A little fishing sloop beating up the harbour?

This is Nova Scotia – better than the TV ads. A 400 acre park, an entire marsh and the tireless and generous work of volunteers give us an unspoiled reminder of what makes us who we are. The view from the top of Long Hill is repeated many times in the park. We have something to show our children, new Canadians, and visitors. Most importantly, we have a place to renew ourselves, a place of wide-open expanses, a place to be in touch with nature, a place to be quiet and think.

Everything here is in balance and the details are important. When you smell the balsam, the whiff of diesel is intrusive. When you’re lost in thought, walking along the shore, the roar of an ATV is offensive.

The view is the most important thing and the easiest to spoil. One smokestack, one Golden Arch, one power line – the mood is changed forever. That’s why we need to be vigilant and cautious about every little thing. And why we oppose the surface routing of the Eastern Passage power line along Bissett Road without consideration of sight lines and the fundamental nature of the park.

Because it’s easy to do the expedient thing we have oil spills, rising sea levels, global recessions and inadequate nuclear safeguards. Corporations and governments have notoriously short time horizons. So what’s a few power poles?

They’re reminders that we take the easy path and probably the wrong path – it’s that simple. In the future, do we want our kids to have that same long view over the marsh, or do we want to remind them of the bad decisions we made at every turn?

Unanimous resolution of the board
June 20, 2011

HRM Report on the Salt Marsh Trail

2011-06-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hydrodynamic Modelling and Coastal Engineering Technical Report

Concept Plan for Bissett Lake Project

2011-05-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Executive Summary

Final Report Text

Directors

2011-05-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

President
Holly Woodill weebitwit@hotmail.com
Treasurer, Keeper of The Privy

Michael McFadden mcfadden1@eastlink.ca

Construction

Charlie Sharkey ca.sharkey@hotmail.com,

Maintenance
Dennis Kerr dwkerr@eastlink.ca
Trail Patrol

Don Carter doncarter@ns.sympatico.ca,

Secretary
Elizabeth Nifort enifort@eastlink.ca,
Membership
Victor Henrikson vhenrikson@hfx.eastlink.ca

At large

Doreene Mawhinney doreene123@gmail.com

Dorothy Duke dot.duke@ns.sympatico.ca
Warren Reed wcreedh@gmail.com
Darlene Martin dmartin@crnns.ca
Jim Tudor jtudor@ns.sympatico.ca

Presentation on Poor's Farm Archaeology Project

2011-02-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

Given By: Sarah Penney and Michael McFadden

Location: Cole Harbour Place branch of the Halifax Public Library, Saturday 19 March starting at 2:00pm

The Halifax County Poor Farm overlooked beautiful Cole Harbour from 1887 to 1929. This working farm housed the County’s poor and mentally ill in an effort by the Victorian society of the time to aid its less fortunate citizens. A major fire in 1929 forced the County to relocate the “inmates” and the remaining structures eventually disappeared into the landscape. Join us to hear a brief history of this important aspect of our past followed by efforts by the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association to rediscover the site through on-going public archaeological excavations in the Cole Harbour Heritage Park.

Sarah Penney, archaeologist, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Saint Mary’s University and is in the final stages of a Masters of Arts Degree in Atlantic Canada Studies. Much of her recent work with the Gorsebrook Research Institute, and the Poors Farm archaeology project among others has emphasised public participation in field and research work as a means of bringing history to life for the average citizen. She has been involved with practically all the archaeological field work in the Cole Harbour Heritage Park.

Michael McFadden is a retired Armed Forces Officer who has lived in the Cole Harbour area for the last 28 years. He is currently the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association project officer for the Poors Farm Archaeological project. He has been involved with the last two years of excavation work on the site and is responsible for recruiting volunteers to work on the dig under supervision of archaeologists.

Trans-Canada Trail honours Holly Woodill

2011-01-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

The TCT, in its 2010 annual report, singles out Holly and the work of the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails volunteers for well deserved praise:

Holly! We are very proud of you! Thanks for all you do.

CHPTA wins 2010 Friend of Archaeology Award

2010-09-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association (CHPTA) is the recipient of the 2010 Friend of Archaeology award (presentation date and venue TBA). The summer of 2009 marked the fourth consecutive season that archaeologists conducted work at the Poor’s Farm site, located in the Cole Harbour Heritage Park in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Research into the area came at the request of the CHPTA, who are the caretakers of the grounds. The CHPTA maintains a passionate interest in the cultural resources of the area and it was their initiative that launched the active presence of archaeologists at Poor’s Farm. It is their objective to obtain as much information about the former institution, by way of archaeological investigation, so that they may be able to tie it into the heritage interpretation of the park. The CHPTA’s ambitions led to the creation of a public archaeology program in 2008 that enabled professional archaeologists and members of the general public the opportunity to work side by side, digging towards a target of locating foundation walls of the demolished structures. Due to the success of the program and the drive of the CHPTA, the public will once again have the opportunity to visit Poor’s Farm for future community digs. Their enthusiasm, immense interest and accommodating nature has made research into the Poor’s Farm an enjoyable experience to all those who have had the pleasure to dig there. Without their immeasurable passion these explorations would not be possible, leaving valuable information buried in the soil. Nor would local community members have the opportunity to experience working first-hand with archaeologists to uncover the past at such a fascinating site. For all their ingenuity, accomplishments and compassion, the NSAS is pleased to present the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association with the 2010 Friend of Archaeology award. (Adapted from nomination submission by Sarah Penney).

For more on the Nova Scotia Archaeology Society, click here

The Marsh in Black and White

2010-08-11T04:20:00.000-07:00

Maybe black and white is the best medium for landscapes. I don't know.
~ Fay Godwin

I don't know either. Yet, as much as color enhances, black and white seems to add another dimension to subjects. Perhaps it's by eliminating color that we're able to see form more clearly. In their magnificence, colors can distract and prevent us from looking more deeply at a subject's form and contours.

Just before dawn and dusk, landscapes are void of most of their hues. A similar effect is created by fog. Color becomes less important as one's eyes focus on simply identifying shapes.

Layers of hills and trees become more discernible in the distance. In color, one layer doesn't look too different from the other, but the gradient shades are more noticeable in black and white.

The seasonal palette disappears in the absence of color. It's replaced with forms and shapes that convey a feeling of peace and tranquility.

Perhaps black and white images provide us with a silence for the eyes that affects the soul in a way that's similar to what our ears experience in quietude.

Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye.
~ Austin O'Malley

by Amy-Lynn Bell

Power Transmission Line

2010-07-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

2010 Annual General Meeting

2010-03-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Board of Directors cordially invites

Members and Friends of the

Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association

to the

Annual General Meeting

Monday, April 26

7:00 PM

Cole Harbour Farm Museum

Rose and Kettle Tearoom

471 Poplar Drive

SMT Trail Improvements

2010-02-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

Maclean's magazine issue of Jan 25th states that "Storms are Brewing in Nova Scotia", and Nova Scotia's sea level is 30 cm higher than it was 100 years ago, and is expected to rise up to 140 cm more over the next 100 years.
Jim Tudor and the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association are definitely on the move to ensure the Salt Marsh Trail is protected for many years to come. These pictures show the wall around the section of the Salt Marsh Trail from the Ready Aye Ready Bridge to landfall towards the West Lawrencetown Road. Outstanding work is taking place at this time. Our dream will be to have all the SMT which is exposed to the sea brought up to this standard.
Don Carter
Trail Patrol

Final Report of Archaeological Investigations at Poor’s Farm, Cole Harbour Heritage Park, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia

2009-12-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

Images courtesy of Sarah Kingston-Penney

The 2009 Poor’s Farm archaeological field investigations, held from July 31, 2009 to August 7, 2009, were an immense success. The intended goal of this year’s research was to continue with the objectives set forth during the 2008 season. As in the previous year, a primary concern of this project was to help support the priorities of the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association (CHPTA), whose intentions are to incorporate existing cultural heritage resources to enhance visitor experience. Locating and mapping building footprints from the original poorhouse is one of the ways the organization would like to achieve their heritage interpretation plans for the park. They have employed the use of archaeological investigations to aid in this purpose and have expressed interest in making archaeology a key and regular component of their long term heritage interpretation strategy for the park.

Community awareness and public involvement in the archaeological process also took precedence during the project. Once again a public archaeology program was implemented during the second week of the investigations that allowed for lay persons to participate in field research under the guidance of archaeological professionals. Over the course of its run, the project hosted 15 public participants ranging from young scholars, local history enthusiasts and retirees. Sixty percent of the volunteers participated on the project for two or more days, a number of which have expressed interest in assisting further with artifact processing and cataloguing.

Eleven days were spent in the field, during which two of the unfinished units from the 2008 season were brought to completion. Results from the large 4m x 4m unit showed remanence of a French drain, as well as two structural pillars. Two additional units were opened based on findings from the previous year, which revealed further evidence of structural remains. Numerous artefacts were retrieved from the excavation, including ceramic pieces, buttons, smoking pipes, bottle glass and butchered animal bones. Of special interest was the recovery of a pewter spoon, with a wooden handle, as well as a knife hand. Both of these items are currently being treated in conservation. All material collected during the investigation fits within the time period of the farms operation.

Further archaeological investigations at Poor’s Farm are warranted to complete the goals of the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association in locating building footprints. Eight structures are suspected to be associated with the poorhouse and at present only one can be partially identified. The goal for the 2010 season will be to continue with the project, again with a concentration on the dormitory area. A number of high potential areas for structural remains can be identified by surface examination, along with EM-38B work that was done in 2006. These locations will be of primary focus during the next field season.

Archaeologist: Sarah Kingston-Penney

An open letter to Councillor Barkhouse

2009-10-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

September 1st. 2009

Councillor Jackie Barkhouse
P.O. Box 1749
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 3A5

Dear Councillor Barkhouse

This open letter to you is about damage being done to The Shearwater Flyer Trail by motorized vehicles. This trail is owned by the Department of Natural Resources, which permits motorized vehicles on many of its properties. The corridor is heavily used by walkers and cyclists, and the inevitable conflicts are becoming frequent. We need to find a solution.

Here is a brief history:

• 1997

The abandoned rail line from Bissett Road to Shearwater was designated as a potential active transportation corridor. The last six kilometres were still owned by CN and the tracks were still in place.

• 2000

A landscape architect was hired by the Halifax Regional Development Agency to draft a concept plan for this corridor.

• 2003

The Department of Natural Resources purchased this corridor for an active transportation trail connecting with the Salt Marsh Trail.

CHPTA negotiated with Halifax Regional Municipality to build a parking lot at Caldwell Road, near Hines Road, on HRM property.

• 2004

CHPTA hired an engineer to inspect all four bridges in this corridor.
Public consultation sessions were held in Eastern Passage and Cole Harbour.
We met with the Eastern Passage – Cow Bay Community ATV Club and we agreed to a number of conditions for them to continue to ride their machines on the trail:

carry 3rd. party insurance
be self policing,
obtain adjacent landowner permission
follow ATVANS trail etiquette policy regarding speed limits, night time hours, and protecting sensitive watercourses and bogs.
commitment to help build and maintain the trail.

Construction began including re-building the four bridges

• 2009

We are still improving and maintaining the trail, adding amenities and generally making it more appealing and attractive

From 2004 to late 2008 our relationship with the community ATV Club was positive. They were enthusiastically involved in several major clean ups. Self policing worked well. Now it is our understanding that this ATV Club is no longer active. This summer, there has been a decided upswing in damage to the trail, aggressive behaviour and riding in environmentally sensitive areas. We are concerned for the safety of users and the future of the natural beauty of the trail

Volunteers have all worked hard to turn a forgotten piece of land into a community asset for everyone to use and enjoy. To have a few thoughtless people ruin things for the majority of responsible trail users seems grossly unfair. We seek your leadership to reach a fair and workable solution.

This discussion must include ATV use in urban areas and enforcement, and consequently needs to involve HRM, community and Provincial interests.

Cole Harbour Parks & Trails Association

10th Anniversary Report

2009-09-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

We're pleased to share some of the highlights of our ten-year experiment in park-building. Please download and share the report freely. It is found here.

Trail Patrol Statistics - Averages

2009-09-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

Ten years of Park Building

2009-05-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

Frequently asked questions

2008-08-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

Can I help?
Of course! If you wish to be part of our successful trail building team or lend your support, you can make a donation, buy a Meter of Trail for $40, buy a park bench, participate as a volunteer, become a member of CHPTA for $5. By all means contact us:
Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association
51 Forest Hills Parkway #13
Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia
B2W 6C6
(902) 462-5706 chpta@ns.sympatico.ca

How do I dedicate a bench?
Contact us by phone, email, or post. The cost of acquiring and installing a bench is $250 for individuals or non-profit organizations and $500 for business enterprises, payable in advance. The Association will purchase and install the bench at a mutually agreeable location. The annual cost to renew the inscription and for routine upkeep is $50 for individuals or non-profit organizations and $100 for business enterprises

Who are the people in those orange vests?
Trail Patrol Wardens are volunteers responsible to our local association and trained under the Nova Scotia Integrated Trail Patrol Program. Their mission is to ensure that all trail users have a safe and enjoyable outdoor recreational experience.

Who owns the park?
The Cole Harbour Heritage Park is owned by the Province of NS with the Department of Natural Resources as the custodial department.

Who operates the park?
The day-to-day operation of the park is the responsibility of the all-volunteer Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association.

Who pays for the park?
All three levels of government, community groups, national and local non-profits, generous individuals and business financed the capital development of the Park. The maintenance expenditure for the trails within the park comes from HRM, with non-trail expenditures coming from the CHPTA budget or revenue from movie rentals and other sources when and where possible.

Can I ride my mountain bike off-trail?
NO. All bikes are required to STAY on trails that are designated for bicycle use. The Salt Marsh Trail, Shearwater Flyer and Heritage are designated for shared-use, which includes cycling.

Where is the off-leash area?
There are no off leash areas in the park or on the trails. Scoop your poop in the bags provided.

Where can I use my ATV?
ATVs can use the Shearwater Flyer between Hines Road and Bissett Road and ATVs must stay on the trail at all times.

I want to complain about a violation on the trails or in the park. Who do I call?
The Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the park and can be reached at 1-800-565-2224 (24 hours a day)

Is CHPTA a registered charity?
Yes, donations $10 and over (including membership fee) are receipted each calendar year-end.

Poor’s Farm Public Archaeology

2008-07-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

First off I would like to thank the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association, and it’s members, for their kind help and interest in this project. The first two instalments to the Poor’s Farm Public Archaeology Program were a success, with over 80 participants ranging from school children to retirees. During the weeklong event in June (the 14^th-22^nd) and the weekend in July (5^th and 6^th) volunteers helped to open up 5 test pits, which included 4 1m x 1m and 1 4 m x 4m units. Numerous interesting items lay underneath the surface and within no time we came across artefacts. Over the course of the 11 days spent excavating crewmembers unearthed two foundation walls of one of the original Poor’s Farm structures. Also found was architectural debris, ceramics, smoking pipes, buttons, a comb and other items that were left behind. Artefacts from the dig are now being processed at the Saint Mary’s University archaeology lab where they’ll be cleaned, catalogued, mended and researched before they are sent to the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History.

Due to the interest from community members and the remaining work yet to be done, we have decided to have one last public archaeology dig at Poor’s Farm. We will be coming back to the park on August 23^rd and 24^th and we invite you to join us for these final two days that will wrap up this season. If you would like to participate please e-mail for confirmation and instructions.

Again, thank you to everyone and we’ll see you once again in August!

Sarah Kingston

Poor's Farm Archaeology - 2008 season

2008-06-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the information for the upcoming project at the Poor's Farm on Bissett Road.

We will meet at the parking lot by the big red barn - map - at 8:30 each morning and then head to the site. The digging will stop at 3 p.m. and we will have equipment cleared up and be out of there by 3:30.

Text directions: Take Cole Harbour Road to Bissett Road. There's a sign for "Cow Bay" at this end of Bissett Road. Turn onto Bissett Road and travel roughly 1.3 km to the Big Red Barn (you can't miss it). There's a nice big parking lot surrounded by a log fence right beside the Barn. Park here. If you get lost you can call my cell: 902-956-4247.

Digging equipment will be provided, however I would ask you all to bring: sunblock, a sunhat, bug spray, gloves, an ample supply of water and your lunch and snacks.

We are expecting two school groups through the week and, hopefully, more interested members of the public and, perhaps park-using passers by. Thanks to everyone who has made the early commitment - especially at the headwater of the torrent of the summer field season.

I would encourage those who'd like to either find lifts or provide them (carpooling is good for the environment and gas costs!) from particular locations to do so. If you have any questions, concerns or comments please feel free to call me at my home number (404-0597) or e-mail me. I

At this point, looks like we have sun....keep your fingers crossed!

Ms. Sarah Kingston is basing her master's thesis in the Atlantic Canada Studies program at Saint Mary's University on this project. Her topic is Public Archaeology and she may ask if you are interested in filling out a questionnaire to assist her in her data gathering efforts. Your participation in the questionnaire is PURELY voluntary. These questionnaires have been reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Board of Saint Mary's University.

And last, but not least: we still have room for volunteers from the general public. We have enough equipment and supervisors for about 17 - 20 people to dig at the same time (however if we have more volunteers than trowels, we can always offer artifact washing). If you know of someone who might like to come and dig, wash or chat with the park visitors about the work, please tell them they are more than welcome and just to drop me an e-mail or give me a call so I can maintain a reasonable schedule of personnel and equipment. In fact, some who are receiving this e-mail have not yet selected days they'd like to participate or even (yet) said they would :-), so please do contact me if you would like to come out and contribute to this celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Nova Scotia Archaeology Society and the importance of archaeology to this local site and the wider community of Cole Harbour and beyond. You can find a little history of the Poor's Farm here.

Looking forward to seeing everyone, having a great time and doing some good research for a truly special site.

cheers,

Heather MacLeod-Leslie

Halifax County Poor’s Farm – Bissett Road

2008-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Established in 1887, the Halifax County Poor’s Farm was the home for the Poor and “Harmless Insane”. Five deaths occurred at the Poor’s Farm the year following its establishment. Between the time it opened and the time of its closure in 1929 due to fire which destroyed most of the dormitory structures, nearly 300 people died there. Some remains were claimed by family and friends; those not claimed were interred at the farm. These were the lost souls – those for whom no one came either because there was no family, or family didn’t know they were here, or they had abandoned them there. The cemetery, recorded by Powell in 1990, is located near the water’s edge of the Park. Powell identified six sites associated with the Poor’s Farm, consisting of four probable building foundations, a reservoir and the cemetery. The couple of dormitory structures that remained standing after the February 28^th, 1929 fire were demolished in the mid-twentieth century.

The dormitories had been described as “a rambling affair”, being an agglomeration of old, re-used structures moved to the site, and newly constructed buildings. They were connected by a series of breezeways thought by some to have been the reason the fire spread so quickly. Part of the burned portion of the structure had been constructed just two years prior. When the residents were removed from the facility the morning after the fire, there were 140 individuals accounted for and sent to the Halifax City Home; the fire caused no casualties. One individual had “escaped” in the confusion caused by the fire. There had been a fenced yard for the “harmless insane” to gain some fresh air and sunshine without wandering away.

Controversy cast a shadow over the Poor’s Farm at the turn of the century, when vigilant citizens noted discrepancies in the costs of food and supplies necessary for the function of the farm. Though costs had apparently decreased, questions remained about prior superintendence of the Farm and its resources meant to provide for its charges. Deaths at the Poor’s Farm were regular occurrences. Several individuals were noted as having been “buried by the county”, but these documentary instances are far outnumbered by the number of visible depressions in the graveyard and the anomalies noted in the ground penetrating radar data. The residents, known then as inmates, included men and women, children and the elderly. Births also occurred at the Farm, but the presence of children appears to have waned considerably after the first decade of the twentieth century.

In this other age, such a place for the socio-historically voiceless and powerless must have been home to people with some truly amazing and tragic stories. One such individual who died and was buried here, briefly disinterred during last year’s archaeological project, was just a young teenager at her death. She continues her rest back in her grave today, having been reburied only weeks after her disinterment. We have seen her place of death, let’s go do some archaeology at the dormitories and find out what her life was like.

Tropical Storm Noel Pays us a Visit

2007-11-17T08:40:00.000-08:00

Don Carter was out on the Salt Marsh Trail soon after Nature's latest challenge:

The SMT has been hit hard again by another storm. On the night of Nov 3 & early morning of the 4th a major tropical storm caused much devastation to the trail. The storm caused much erosion and scattered debris along the trail. The areas around all bridges have been eroded. On my was into the SMT this AM I was met by fellow trail patrol warden Wayne Stott who was on his way home after spending a lot of time stacking wood and other materials that were scattered along the trail. Wayne travelled into the 5 km mark and reported that severe damage was evident all along the trail. Wayne was totally exhausted and headed home for a well earned rest. Several trees that had fallen across the start of the trail, were cut and removed. The pictures tell the story. More to follow. Don

Statement of purpose

2007-10-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

Nova Scotians are passionate about their province, with its unsurpassed beauty at every hand.

This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks, Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight

Evangeline was written in 1847 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose 200th birthday we celebrate in 2007. Millions have read these opening lines and in a way, they have defined Nova Scotia to the world. As if the first line needs improvement, Longfellow adds another ingredient:

Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring ocean
Speaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.

People are less familiar with Longfellow’s next verse, lamenting the passing of a way of life:

This is the forest primeval; but where are the hearts that beneath it
Leaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland the voice of the huntsman?

Where is the thatch-roofed village, the home of Acadian farmers --
Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands,
Darkened by shadows of earth, but reflecting an image of heaven?
Waste are those pleasant farms, and the farmers forever departed!
Scattered like dust and leaves, when the mighty blasts of October
Seize them, and whirl them aloft, and sprinkle them far o'er the ocean.

Of course, the context is different, but the disappearance of the Nova Scotia remembered in Evangeline is real. The intimate quiet and beauty of nature is disappearing in favour of malls and cityscapes; global warming sends hurricanes far north; the welcome influx of new Canadians brings neighbours who want to learn our epic stories.

Cole Harbour Parks & Trails Association is determined to preserve a piece of iconic Nova Scotia for future generations. A group of like-minded and dedicated community members share this vision, and with the cooperation of all levels of government and business, and with sheer determination has fashioned the heritage park we now enjoy. Cole Harbour Heritage Park is a testament to what a small and dedicated group of volunteers can accomplish. Built by neighbours and community, using tax dollars and generous gifts, this is the people’s own creation. Stewardship of this park is a community responsibility that we can all work toward, to pass along to coming generations.

Standing on the drumlin and looking eastward across the salt marsh, one appreciates the natural beauty of our province. The rhythms of the tides and seasons; the echoes of the lives of first peoples, fishermen and farmers; the smell of the balsam and the mud flats, the hovering Osprey – all this and more will be here for our children's children.

Our corporate sponsors, contractor and suppliers, who work for less and have donated so much, clearly understand that strong communities are good for business.

In ten years, CHPTA has built twenty two and one half kilometers of multi use trails within Cole Harbour; reaching out as far as West Lawrencetown and in to Shearwater.

Thanks to their vision and perseverence, the four hundred acre parcel of land bounded by Bissett Road and the Cole Harbour Salt Marsh is a jewel in the necklace of Provincial Parks.

©2007 CHPTA

Festive Park Opening September 29, 2007

2007-10-23T05:20:00.000-07:00

The hard work and effort of the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association (CHPTA) was rewarded with the official opening of the trail system. It lies within the Cole Harbour Heritage Park and is part of the larger Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Coastal Heritage Park System.

The flags were flying and the sun was shining. The Dartmouth Volksmarch conducted two guided walks before the ceremonies; one ten kilometer walk and a five kilometer walk. Councillor Harry McInroy, Mayor Peter Kelly, MLA Mark Parent and MP Michael Savage all gave short and much appreciated speeches. A reception followed in the big red barn with hot dogs and soft drinks; all in all a grand day, celebrating what a small dedicated group of volunteers can accomplish.

The Honourable Mike Savage, MP represented the Federal Government at the opening ceremonies. Mike has been a good friend to CHPTA over the years and commended the work of the many volunteers in developing these trails and parklands.

The partnership between the Association and the province is an excellent example of how to achieve joint objectives - provincial park mandates and community based interests.

Minister of Labour Mark Parent attended the opening representing the Province. Mayor Peter Kelly managed to fit us into his very busy schedule, averting transit strikes, which was greatly appreciated. His presence highlighted the support that CHPTA has found with the municipality. The Mayor enjoyed interacting with everyone at the barn, serving up many hotdogs and refreshments supplied by the Dartmouth Volksmarch Group.

Councillor Harry McInroy, a great supporter of all the CHPTA work, was in attendance, ... and proud to be there. "I think our Coastal Heritage Park is absolutely awesome; a real jewel within the Halifax region." said McInroy, who continued "It is, in fact, a superior piece of public parkland real estate .....As such, it will continue to draw residents from throughout the Metro area and beyond....It is easy to see that our Cole Harbour volunteers have dedicated so much time and effort over the years to bring this very significant property and project to where it is today. As the Councillor for Cole Harbour, I can tell you that this project and those associated with it have been the 'flagship' of community development initiatives during my 26 year tenure.I remain committed to helping with this initiative at every turn."

Jim Tudor Vice Chair was the master of ceremonies, Lionel Conrod Treasurer was the chef du jour. Board members decorated the newly renovated barn where refreshments were served. Many people took advantage of the 5km and 10km hikes on this bright, sunny day.

Jim Tudor summed it all up:

This is truly a wonderful day, celebrating the preservation of a very special piece of Nova Scotia. Standing on the drumlin and looking eastward across the salt marsh, one appreciates the natural beauty of our province. The rhythms of the tides and seasons; the echoes of the lives of first peoples, fishermen and farmers; the smell of the balsam and the mud flats, the hovering Osprey – all this and more will be here for our children’s children.

Cole Harbour Heritage Park is a testament to what a small and dedicated group of volunteers can accomplish. This is your creation, built by your neighbours and community, using your tax dollars and generous gifts. Stewardship of this park is a community responsibility that we can all work toward, to pass along to coming generations.

Our corporate sponsors, contractors, and suppliers, who work for less and have donated so much, clearly understand that strong communities are good for business.

Finally a big thank you to our Board of Directors who have defied the norm for volunteer groups and persevered for almost ten years now.

I would offer a quote from Henry Ford which I first saw on tee shirts worn by our friends from Black & McDonald who were working in our Park this June.

Coming together is a beginning
Keeping together is progress
Working together is success

We hope everyone enjoys the park and trails for many generations to come. Thank you for your support.
Eliz Holly Woodill
CHPTA, Chair

Survey Results

2007-09-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

Our September survey of park users and friends has yielded good results. You can read the detail here. Interesting items:

40 completed questionnaires out of 100 sent
lots of birders and bikers
stabilizing the Salt Marsh Trail gets the highest priority
The SMT is people's favorite by a wide margin
The Park gets high ratings on being safe, clean, beautiful and a community asset
Trail wardens are universally liked an respected
Be sure to read the open ended responses to #14

Please make your own comments below

Get the latest issue of our newsletter

2007-08-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Rambler, August 2007

Volunteer Trail Patrol Summary

2007-08-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

To volunteer, contact DonCarter doncarter@ns.sympatico.ca

Construction Diary XXXIV

2007-08-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Aug. 27th. - Representatives from Cape Breton trail groups came to our Park to see our work and talk about best practices.

Aug. 28th. - Our friends from the Shearwater Military Base installed a culvert and did some trail surfacing along a section of the trail that runs through their Base.

Aug. 30th. - We met with a representative from Taylor Lumber; to look at dealing with the Juan damaged trees still in Cole Harbour Heritage Park before they lose all their market value.

Sept.1st. - A big rain event (60 mm) overwhelmed some of our culverts and ditches; mostly along The Heritage Trail and really torn things up. It even jumped stream banks and ran through the woods, gouging out trails that got in it's way.

Sept. 6th. - We met the Minister of Natural Resources and some of his staff along with our MLA Darrell Dexter who arranged the meeting for us. We toured the Minister through our Park and showed him the Juan damage that was left behind and in our opinion; had never been properly cleaned up.

There were no commitments made other than, the Minister would get back to us.

Sept. 7th. - We brought in a load of gravel and a bobcat to repair some of the worse areas from the Sept. 1st. rain storm.

Sept. 18th. - Vandals tried to burn down our much used and greatly appreciated outhouse on the Salt Marsh Trail. Apparently they were not Scout Canada trained, because they started the fire in the roof and not at the bottom of the outhouse; in which case it would have burned to the ground. It is still going to cost about $400.00 to $500.00 to repair the damage.

Sept.19th. to 24th. - We hired a contractor to mow the shoulders of all our trails in the Park and along the Salt Marsh Trail. They used a ride on mower, an excavator with a flailer head and hand held spacing saws.

Sept. 21st. - We met with DND's Formation Development Engineer at Shearwater to discuss how we can get through their Base and onto the Eastern Passage Road / Pleasant Street which then puts the Woodside Ferry within sight.

Sept. 22/23rd.- Installed four new culverts and ditched 700 feet along The Heritage Trail. Volunteers also limbed overhead trees to make it easier for the dump trucks to put up their boxes and spread their loads.

Sept.24th. to 28th. - We installed several more culverts inside our Park and placed seven (7) loads of crusher dust along various trail surfaces and not a day to soon.

Sept. 29th. - The Cole Harbour Heritage Park was officially opened. The flags were flying and the sun was shining. There were two guided walks before the ceremonies; one ten kilometer walk and a five kilometer walk. Councillor Harry McInroy, Mayor Peter Kelly, MLA Mark Parent and MP Michael Savage all gave short and much appreciated speeches. A reception followed in the big red barn with hot dogs and soft drinks; all in all a grand day, celebrating what a small dedicated group of volunteers can accomplish.

Oct. 1st. - Our friends at HRM Underground Services came to our rescue by placing some very large rocks along a ditch near our Caldwell Road parking lot where 4x4 SUV's were coming off road into a very steep ditch and then accessing The Shearwater Flyer Trail.

Oct. 4th. - As a follow up to the Minister's meeting on the Juan damage to the Park; we met with his Executive Director - Renewable Resources. He was also given a tour of the damaged areas and lobbied to do more clean up.

Oct.5th. & 10th. Work begins at the West Lawrencetown Road end of the Salt Marsh Trail. We have wanted to modify the gate there for sometime and to re-install our sign structures that ATV's had broken off.

After the new posts were in the ground, we had a welder come in and cut off a section of the gate which now allows bicycle to pass through the gate without dismounting but still blocks ATV traffic from coming in. The gate was then sanded down and given a fresh coat of yellow paint. Some vegetation push back was also done and a load of crusher dust was spread in the area.

Oct. 11th. - Met with HRM Trail Staff who have asked us to re-focus our business plan this year to bring up the West Lawrencetown end of the Salt Marsh Trail (2.6 kms) to Active Transportation Standards. To which we have agreed as it will also support our efforts to re-build the Salt Marsh Trail later on.

Oct. 13th. - Another trail group attended our Park for a tour, to take advantage of best practices and to learn from our mistakes.

Oct.15th. - Our consultant who is working on the Bissett Brook Project provided an update on his work so far.

Oct 16th. - We put the ride on mower and excavator with the flailer head to work on the West Lawrencetown end of the SMT to push the vegetation back along the shoulders of the trail.

Oct.17th. to 22nd. - Another contractor started cutting trees that are growing in the ditches along the trail and then chipping them; in order to not to impede the proper ditching that must take place before we can surface the trail with crusher dust.

30 students from NSCC - Environmental Engineering Technology - Water Resources class asked to come to our Salt Marsh Trail and do a clean up; to which we readily agreed. We supplied them with garbage bags and work gloves.

The following day, CHPTA volunteers took our trailer out to the SMT and brought out to two big loads of refuse that the students had gathered up along the trail shoulders.

Sept.19th. - We received a letter from Base Commander - Canadian Forces Base Halifax that offers us a corridor across DND property; provided that we satisfy a couple of conditions. This has been a long coming and finally opens things up for the next link towards the Woodside Ferry.

Finally: The Weekly News is running a contest for your favorite park and has listed four parks to choose from. Your are invited to vote on-line at http://www.dartmouthcoleharbournews.ca/ We all know who has the best park; so please get your friends and relatives to tell The Weekly News, what we already know.

Happy Trails

Construction Diary XXXIII

2007-08-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

A warm welcome to Fred Madore, Gary & Coleen Lewis, Sean Wood and Tersesa Givovannetti.

June 20th. - Reports of a dirt bike being ridden on the Jersey Jack Trail come to our attention. Working with the parents of the rider and DNR enforcement personnel the situation has been resolved and the riding has stopped inside the Park.

June 23rd. - We start plans to modify the gate to allow for an easier flow of walkers and cyclists, at the West Lawrencetown Road end of the Salt Marsh Trail. At the same time old signage will be re-installed and some trail surfacing will be completed.

June 27th. - Our painters start work on the barn, power washing, hand scrapping, applying one coat of grey primer and two coats of red paint. All the new windows, corner boards and doors are painted white. The barn was originally red in color and we believe that we are close to the same old red color.

June 28th. - The brochures for the Cole Harbour Heritage Park and Salt Marsh Trail / Shearwater Flyer are printed and ready for release. Anyone wishing one please just let us know, or they can be picked up at the Cole Harbour Library, Cole Harbour Heritage Farm, Eastern Passage information center, Eastern Passage Community Office.

June 29th. - The grass around the second cemetery, near Bissett Road, gets mowed in preparation for painting the cemetery fence. Lake City Paint donates three gallons of paint for the project.

June 30th. - Our friends from the Church of Jesus Christ show up with a large group of youths who paint the entire cemetery fence white.

June 4th to 29th. - Saint Mary's University Department of Archeology under the supervision and direction of Professor Heather MacLeod-Leslie start work on the Poor's Farm Cemetery and Poor's Farm residential foundations. She has thirteen students, one assistant and from time to time other professors join her.

Their first three weeks on the job were quite challenging, with lots of rain and cold temperatures but preserver they did. They and we were rewarded with numerous artifacts being found and interpreted. The good news for us, is that this project will continue into the future which in turns allows us to share this local history with everyone.

Their story caught the interest of the local media, via newspaper, radio and television.

July 5th. - The painters finish the barn today, 22 gals. grey primer and 87 gals. of red paint.

July 11, 18 & 19th. - Our contractor starts maintenance work inside the Park. We replace three culverts and re-ditch a number of areas that suffered erosion during the winter months; we also surface and a number of areas.

July 13th. - We meet with our chosen consultant on the Bissett Brook project and walk out the project on the ground.

July 14th. - Gus Reed spends a full day doing a survey of park users at the barn parking lot.

July 16th. - The Heritage Farm loans us a 1945 aerial map of the Cole Harbour area which will be useful on the Bissett Brook project.

July 17 & 18th. - We hire a contractor to push the vegetation back along some of trails using a large ride on type mower. We are feeling our way on the issue of maintenance, trying to find the right balance for vegetation control and cost efficiencies.

Atlantic Lotto shoots it's latest advertisement in the first big field beyond the barn parking lot. It's the one with the swarm of bees chasing a person through the field.

July 20th. - Our friends from Cole Harbour's Petworks have agreed to sponsor all eight our doggy bag dispensers which means the boxes will be self sufficient in bags for the foreseeable future.

Happy Trails

Dr. Jerry Lonecloud

2007-08-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah Bartlett Alexis (Jerry Lonecloud) Halifax

Photograph: Clara DennisNova Scotia Museum, Halifax

This is the first in a series to bring you details of persons, places, and things whose names grace our park trails. – Ed.

Jerry Lonecloud (1854-1930) was a familiar sight to Cole Harbour residents in the early part of the last century. He gathered sweet grass in the area which he used to make coiled baskets for sale in the Halifax market.

There is some uncertainty about the details of his full and fabulous life. He was born in Belfast, Maine, the son of Abram and Mary Anne, reported to be Mi’kmaq from Nova Scotia. Mi’kmaq are part of a larger Algonquian/Wabanaki culture which traveled freely in parts of present day New England and Eastern Canada.

Lonecloud’s father, Abram, had something of an exciting life himself, having participated in the capture of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. On April 26, 1865, Company H of the 16th New York Cavalry shot and killed Booth, who was hiding in a barn in Virginia.

After the capture of Booth, the story goes, Abram went to claim his share of the $100,000 reward and was never heard from again. He is presumed to have been murdered.

Prior to his military service, Abram was connected with Morse’s Indian Root Pills Co., of Morristown in upstate New York.

Shortly after his father’s disappearance, Lonecloud’s mother died and the orphaned 11 year old made his way to Nova Scotia, probably crossing the Bay of Fundy by canoe – once a frequent route - with three younger siblings on an epic two-year journey. Until the 1880s, Lonecloud made his living by hunting, trapping and guiding. He was a member of the Millbrook Mi’kmaq band, which summered in the Cole Harbour area, traveling along the Shubenacadaie River and through the present-day Dartmouth. lakes.

In the 1880s, at the height of a patent medicine craze, there was a famous and outlandish traveling extravaganza called Healy & Bigelow’s Kickapoo Indian Medicine Show. At any one time there were up to seventy-five H&B shows touring the east, and in their winter quarters in Connecticut lived several hundred Indians. Lonecloud joined one of the shows and traveled extensively, perhaps to New Brunswick, where he married Elizabeth Paul.

Although patent medicines are sometimes dismissed as quackery, they are often based on careful formulations of herbal remedies. Perhaps Dr. Lonecloud, with his wide knowledge of traditional Indian remedies, made a contribution to the recipes used by Healy & Bigelow.
It is thought that Lonecloud also traveled with Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show and had an interest in The Kiowa Medicine Show, along with Louis Newell – “Chief Rolling Thunder”, from Old Town, Maine, center of the Penobscot culture.

Returning to Nova Scotia, Lonecloud, Elizabeth and their family of seven children made a living selling handicrafts. Lonecloud became chief medicine man of the Mi’kmaq.

For more on Jerry Lonecloud, read the 2002 biography and memoir - Tracking Doctor Lonecloud: Showman to Legend Keeper by Ruth Holmes Whitehead. It is taken from notes and interviews done in the 1920s by Halifax journalist Clare Dennis.

The book covers the details of Lonecloud’s history, as well as his reminiscences, observations and contemplations, gleaned from a remarkable existence. Because Dr. Jerry Lonecloud was a born and practiced showman, the line between myth and reality is sometimes unclear, but there are many lessons to be taken from his extraordinary life.

Welcome

2007-08-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

About the park

This 400 acre provincial park was built and is maintained by the Cole Harbour Parks and Trails Association, an all volunteer, not for profit community group. The park depends on private and public funding, often in the form of donation of materials and time.

Trail Descriptions

Difficulty

wheelchair/bike
easy
medium

Main Trails

Heritage Trail 2.5 km

Running the length of the park, this trail is accessible from many points. It is the only trail within the park where bikes are permitted. Because it is relatively flat, it is a good choice for wheelchairs or strollers.

Panorama Trail

The gentle hills in the park are typical of numerous drumlins that dot the coast, providing magnificent views. Drumlins are whale-shaped hills of clay and stones formed by retreating glaciers 15,000 years ago. (In Gaelic druim means the crest of a hill.). These natural barriers protect large shallow estuaries, allowing salt marshes to develop.

Poor’s Farm Road

This follows the abandoned access road to the Poor’s Farm, crossing brooks and skirting fields.

Brook Trail 0.3 km

A short loop off the Panorama Trail along a rushing stream.

Jerry Lonecloud Trail 1.0 km

Jerry Lonecloud (1854-1930) was a familiar sight to Cole Harbour residents in the early part of the last century. He was a member of the Millbrook Mi’kmaq band, which summered in the Cole Harbour area, traveling along the Shubenacadaie River and through the present-day Dartmouth. lakes.
He gathered sweet grass in the area which he used to make coiled baskets for sale in the Halifax market.

Front Country Trails

Jersey Jack Trail 1.0 km

Jaques Levesconte from the Isle of Jersey jumped ship from a grounded vessel in the 1870s , married a Cole Harbour girl, and was a notable and colourful character in the area for 75 years.

Costley Farm Trail 1.3km

In 1865, John Costley was the fisheries inspector in Cole Harbour. The open fields are the only remaining evidence of his farm. This trail transects a large block of more or less undisturbed terrain.

Points of Interest

Poor’s Farm Cemetery

Nearly 300 residents died over the 42 years of the Poor’s Farm existence. Most were returned to relatives in home communities, but it is thought perhaps 16 are buried here. This cemetery is being inventoried, cataloged and restored by a field archaeology program at Saint Mary’s University.

Poor’s farm

Beginning in 1887, this was the site for Halifax county’s residence for the ‘harmless insane”. A complex of several buildings was used until a fire forced closing in 1929.

Poor’s farm Reservoir

A rock-lined reservoir, part of the water supply system for the farm

George Bissett House

George Bissett held several prominent positions in Cole Harbour. For some time he was a Justice of the Peace. In 1890 he became the first county Councillor in Cole Harbour. He was also referred to as Squire. George Bissett died in 1916.

Costley Farm

The midpoint of this front country trail

Ware (Weir) Inn

A roadhouse that catered to visitors, travelers and affluent sportsmen. King George V may have stayed here on a hunting trip to Cole Harbour marsh. If you can add to our sketchy knowledge, please let us know.

Support your Community Park by joining or volunteering

Cole Harbour Parks & Trails Association
51 Forest Hills Parkway, # 13
Dartmouth, NS
B2W 6C6

(902) 462-5706
chpta@ns.sympatico.ca

Emergencies
911
Civic address 666 Bissett Rd., Cole Harbour