Cobourg Mayor Gil Brocanier sets a poor example posing for a photograph by trespassing on LIVE trackage near New Amherst Boulevard - Date unknown photo by Valerie MacDonald.

25 September 2013

Hamilton Township Joins Move
for Safe Railway Crossing

Cobourg Ontario - Hamilton Township is supporting efforts by the Town of Cobourg, the Waterfront Regeneration Trust, the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority, and the Cobourg to Port Hope Waterfront Trail and Parks Committee, to reinstate a safe railway crossing near the waterfront west of Cobourg.
 
The crossing signage was removed without notice and the request is to re-establish a crossing on New Amherst Boulevard (formerly Lovshin Road) which would be an emergency access for Pebble Beach Drive residents and "to be used as part of the Waterfront trail," according to a request endorsed by Hamilton Township councillors at their most recent meeting.
 
Deputy Mayor Isobel Hie asked why the railways removed the signage and wanted to know more before endorsing the request to send a letter of support to the Canadian Transportation Agency, as well as to CP and CN, but the resolution was passed without the information.
 
CN has been assisting with efforts related to the Canadian Transportation Agency in this matter, Cobourg Mayor Gil Brocanier said in an interview Tuesday, and now the support from Hamilton Township has also been received.
 
He said that the railway crossing would be at the southern end of New Amherst Boulevard.
 
Trails committee secretary-treasurer Petra Hartwig said funding is being sought to help develop the trail in this area.
 
"We're trying to preserve and conserve the waterfront, making it safer for people to cross the rail lines, and so they don't go onto the beach of Lake Ontario in that area," Hartwig said.
 
At the same time as this movement is going forward, Northumberland County is undertaking an environmental review for upgrading County Road 2 where the existing designated Waterfront Trail is a paved bike lane on either side of the roadway.
 
It is considered unsafe by some.
 
A couple of options for relocating it have been looked at as part of this review including the connection and cross at New Amherst Boulevard, Brocanier said. Another is creating a trail parallel to County Road 2 on the south side of the roadway between Port Hope and Cobourg through Hamilton Township, but separated by a large ditch. This option would be "pretty expensive" and involve purchasing land, he continued.
 
Ideally, the Waterfront Trail would follow Lake Ontario but that is not possible right now because of opposition from landowners including Hunco Farms, Brocanier said.
 
In a letter sent by the Town of Cobourg to the Canadian Transportation Agency last June stating its intention of working with CP and CN to re-establish a safe crossing east of Cobourg it also states that "what was assumed as repair and maintenance between Lots 24 and 25 turned to to be a permanent removal of the crossing ties between track whereby vehicles could no longer traverse over the tracks.
 
"Rail crossing signs were also taken down and the right-of-way that was established for approximately 160 years was eliminated," the letter states.
 
Valerie MacDonald.

Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada