Dave White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, at a July public information session on road trails. (Rick Conrad / File)

ATV users will soon be able to travel more easily through Queens County.

Regional councillors voted unanimously on Tuesday evening to create a bylaw that would allow the vehicles on some municipal roads.

The bylaw will designate five routes around Liverpool that riders can use to access services or other trails.

Dave White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, and about 30 supporters were at the council meeting for the vote.

“We’re really excited with the decision of council tonight to move forward to the bylaw phase with all five road trails in the Region of Queens Municipality, specifically in the former township, to create trail-to-trail and trail-to-amenities connections,” White said in an interview afterward.

“And I think this is going to be a really positive thing for our community so we’re very excited.”

It’s been about two years since the association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association approached the region to create a connected trail network similar to those that exist in neighbouring Lunenburg and Shelburne counties and in other parts of Atlantic Canada.

ATV groups say that the changes will bring more economic activity to Queens County. In 2022, ATV users said they spent  $454 million in Nova Scotia.

The Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act in 2023, which allows off-highway vehicles on provincial and municipal roads with certain conditions.

The region formed an ad hoc committee with local ATV organizations. The groups consulted with property owners, held public engagement sessions and asked for feedback in an online survey.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. About 180 people attended an information session at the Liverpool Fire Hall in July. Nobody voted against any of the five proposed routes. (Note: The routes are explained in detail at the end of this story.)

The online survey garnered between 74 and 84 per cent support for each route.

Those routes are behind the municipal offices on White Point Road and at various points from the Trestle Trail that would allow access to the Visitor Information Centre, downtown shops and Queens Place Drive. 

In a staff report to council, project officer Richard Lane said comments from residents were mostly positive, but some were confused about the rules, while others worried about how those rules would be enforced.

The region’s traffic authority, Director of Infrastructure Adam Grant, said increased traffic from ATVs may contribute to driver confusion in some areas, like the intersection of Bristol Avenue and Milton Road.

He said he wanted to ensure that public safety remains the priority as the region moves ahead with a bylaw.

The region also consulted five other municipalities with road trail networks – the towns of Oxford, Pictou, Shelburne and Yarmouth and the city of Corner Brook, NL.

The municipality asked Queens District RCMP for their feedback but didn’t get a response. 

Mayor Scott Christian said Queens will likely use municipal bylaws in other jurisdictions as their guide.

“We’re going to take all those lessons and try to … do it right the first time and just make it really clear and easy for the users about how they can navigate the road trails through the town of Liverpool, where they can go, where they can’t go, how they can safely operate their vehicles in town. I’m really excited about it.”

As with any new bylaw, the region must notify the public and give them an opportunity to comment at a public hearing. Christian said it shouldn’t take long to draft it.

White says road trail bylaws in other places are usually brief, since a lot of the regulations are already in provincial legislation.

He says that after lobbying two separate councils for the past two years, he’s happy that ATV users will soon get a greenlight to ride on certain roads.

“There are lots of things going on in a muncipality at any given time and while this took a little longer than we had hoped, we’re very happy with the outcome.”

FIVE PROPOSED ROAD TRAIL ROUTES IN LIVERPOOL (Source: Region of Queens staff report from Richard Lane, presented at Oct. 28 council meeting)

Route #1

From the rail trail as it enters Liverpool from the Shelburne direction and emerges from the walking trail behind the municipal office at 249 White Point Road, the road trail would allow a right turn onto West Street and left onto Harley Umphrey Drive. The road trail would then cross Hwy 3 and join the Trestle Trail, the road trail would also continue along George Street and end at the intersection with Old Port Mouton Road.

Route #2

Diverging from the Trestle Trail, the road trail would turn right onto King Street, left onto Lawrence Street, and right onto Wolfe Street until rejoining the Trestle Trail at Central Boulevard. The purpose of this road trail would be to avoid travel through a residential backyard and a section with poor sight lines and steep gradient.

Route #3

From the Trestle Trail as it crosses Main Street, the road trail would allow a left turn as far as the end of municipal street jurisdiction at Mersey Place Court. This would allow access to the Cowie Well and prepare for connection to the Trestle Trail from outside town limits via Milton, should an application be submitted to the Province of Nova Scotia for access in the future.

Route #4

From the Trestle Trail, the road trail would allow a right turn onto Brunswick Street, slight left on Main Street and right onto Henry Hensey Drive as far as the Visitor Information Centre. No access to Market Street, Bristol Avenue, or Main Street would be available. This road trail would enable access to parking, shops, and services including the Visitor Information Centre.

Route #5

Following the Trestle Trail until a left turn onto an access road at 31 Milton Road, the proposed road trail joins Milton Road with a right turn to the traffic light. From the traffic lights, the route allows a right turn onto Bristol Avenue, and a left turn onto Hank Snow Drive – no further travel on Bristol Avenue would be permitted. The route also enables riders to go straight through the traffic light, or to turn left and then left again onto Queens Place Drive. The inclusion of Old Cobbs Barn Road enables future road trail designation of a section of Hwy 3 toward Brooklyn, should an application be submitted to the Province of Nova Scotia in the future. This route would enable access to multiple shops, gas stations, accommodation, and amenities such as the Hank Snow Hometown Museum and Queens Place Emera Centre.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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David White is president of the Queens County ATV Association. (Rick Conrad)

ATV riders in Queens County are hoping to connect off-road trails with public roads and streets in the municipality so that operators can more easily use local services and support local businesses.

David White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, and vice-president Greg Wigglesworth made a presentation to regional council this week outlining various options to make that happen. 

“In this case, we’re asking the Region of Queens for assistance with some connection within the township,” he said in an interview after the meeting.

“The whole goal here is to make a trail that connects across Queens County as well as providing economic advantage by bringing off-highway vehicle users to be able to access things like gas and accommodation and restaurants and that sort of thing.” 

This isn’t the first time White has proposed a connected network through Queens County for users of off-highway vehicles.

The association spoke to council last July about the idea, shortly after the Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act. That would allow OHVs on provincial and municipal roads, with certain conditions.

Both levels of government must first grant ATV access to those roads. In the Region of Queens, that would require a new bylaw. 

White and Wigglesworth presented councillors with various options to create a road trail near Queens Place Emera Centre, the Best Western and businesses around the intersection of Milton Road and Route 3 that would connect with the Trestle Trail. They also outlined options for a road trail to connect the Trestle Trail to White Point Road and from the trail to the lower parking lot downtown.

It’s part of the group’s vision to create a destination riding area in Queens for ATV users. White told councillors it would attract more business to the area from riders in the municipality and beyond.

“Our ultimate goal is to create the connectivity, to be able to go from the Lunenburg-Queens County line to the Queens-Shelburne line. Other ATV groups in other areas are working to make those connections as well.

“We’re looking to do it in a way that has minimal impact on residents. Our ultimate goal is to improve the connectivity, to enhance the trails for everybody, so it’s better quality trail for off-highway vehicles, walkers, cyclists and other users, as well as to make sure we have that economic impact, and to make sure we’re maintaining a safe environment for everyobdy.”

White said the group has been canvassing property owners and businesses. So far, he says, the response has been positive. He said Yarmouth has already allowed access to off-highway vehicles on Water Street in their downtown core.

“It’s very well travelled and they’ve been having a lot of success with that.”

Councillors appeared supportive of the idea. District 2 Coun. Ralph Gidney said he’s excited by the proposal.

“I think this is a very good idea, and what it’s going to do for our community is fantastic.”

District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said she’s happy to see the group provided so many different options.

“I look forward to everyone coming together and finding a way forward with this.”

Councillors asked for a staff report on allowing the vehicles to use municipal roads. 

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Listen to Thursday’s news update below

Entrance to Trestle Trail from Bristol Ave. Photo Ed Halverson

Region of Queens council heard a proposal that would allow off-highway vehicles to drive through downtown Liverpool.

At the July council meeting, members of the Queens County ATV Association and the Queens Rails to Trails Association came together to present the idea of allowing OHVs to travel along Hwy 3, down Bristol Ave, across the bridge where they would turn onto Henry Hensey Drive, crossing Main Street and continuing up Brunswick until vehicles connected with the Trestle Trail.

The idea is possible because of a recently passed piece of provincial legislation called the Road Trails Act which is intended to allow OHVs to cross short stretches of road to move from one off road trail to another.

The Act is not yet law but President of the Queens County ATV Association David White says the groups wanted to present the plan to council so they could hear and address any concerns before it comes into effect.

“This is an early-step process because that’s still not actually enacted but we’re trying to get all of our ducks in a row so when it hits the ground, we’re one of the people out front,” said White.

The new act says all riders are required to have a valid driver’s licence, insurance, registration and a licence plate, and vehicles may not go faster than 25 km/h.

Councillor David Brown was concerned about OHVs traveling along Bristol Ave where they would have to move in traffic along with other vehicles.

“I see in other places that it’s been a real financial boon to people. But it almost seems to me like going across Bristol instead of going across the Trestle trail, finance is trumping safety..” said Brown. “To me, it looks like using the Trestle Trail, cutting off by the Irving and not going across Bristol would be much safer for pedestrian traffic, for bicycles for people driving, for the people on the ATVs but we’re trying to force them through the town just because it’s finance and I have a little problem with that.”

White acknowledged the vehicles could travel along the Trestle Trail and avoid downtown Liverpool, but the idea is to bring riders closer to local businesses. He says while there are financial motives, safety must always come first.

“As for Bristol economic trade trumping safety, we would never see safety compromised. Safety is at the foremost of what we want,” said White.

The Queens County ATV Association president noted that locals are aware traffic often slows on Bristol Ave due to bicycles, public works, and other reasons and OHVs would be no more inconvenient for drivers.

Council decided to work with the two groups to further explore the potential plan and may look to form a working committee in the future.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

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