Open letter to Windsor-Hantsport Railway Manager.

From: rosshh@live.ca
To: bobirr@aol.com
Subject: the Windsor hantsport Railway
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:01:27 -0400

Mr. Schmidt, The following article  http://www.hantsjournal.ca/News/2012-08-23/article-3058956/Keeping-up-appearances/1  was published last August.

You may not know it, but we are having a hard time as not only have we lost the Fundy Gypsum Corporation but also the Minas Basin Pulp and Power Corporation – a loss of 155 jobs.

A tourist attraction with the heritage station and  bicycle trail to New Minas would be a big boost.

There are many alternatives:

 1.     Hantsport Public Library. The train station in Wolfville could be converted to a public library. I am on the Board of Directors of The Friends of the Hantsport Public Library. The library is presently located in a classroom at the Hantsport School and we need more room – we are also discussing the building of an Art Community Centre. The Hantsport Station, if it were available, would be a fine location.

2.     Train and Rail Museum.  A very unique museum could be built and a number of rail cars and the Hantsport Library could develop a collection of books and articles about the history of railways.

3.     Tourist Centre and Accommodations. Dining cars could be restaurants. Sleeping cars could be rented to tourists. The town tourist centre could be located at the spot.

4.     Hantsport Rail Trail. A multi-use trail could be built for cycling, hiking, cross –country skiing, snow-shoeing, and as Mr. Schmidt mentioned – rail-pedal cars

5.     The Features of the Trail.

 The first attraction is Blue Beach,( http://www.annapolis-valley-vacation.com/blue-beach.html) a world class (and it is a world famous) fossil site. It is a national treasure that Canada and Nova Scotia are lucky to call their own. The Blue Beach Fossil Museum is in the works to become one of the most important facilities for geological research and the recovery of fossils.

  The trail continues through the fabulous bicycle friendly flat land with marvellous panoramic views …..….to   Grand Pre Canada’s 16th World Heritage Site and the Landscape of Grand Pre.

 Along the trail are a number of wonderful Nova Scotia Wineries:

Gaspereau Vineyards  http://www.gaspereauwine.com/

Domaine du Grand Pre  http://grandprewines.ns.ca/

Muir Murray Estate Winery http://muirmurraywinery.com/wineboutique.html

 And the fantastic Dykes of the valley are wonderful for cycling.

Wolfville features Acadia University with the K.C Irving Centre and Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens which is open to the public.

There are many fine restaurants in Wolfville including The Port Pub in Port Williams An everywhere great scenery and natural wonders: and on along the Cornwallis river to New Minas the Shopping Centre of the Valley. 

I hope you will consider discussing options.

Best regards,

Ross Hermiston