How To Know If A Trail Is Allowed or Not
Is there any *simple* resource one can check to find out if a given trail/trail system is part of a park that's LEGALLY off limits? I'd like to avoid running afoul of the actual laws , setting aside the strong suggestions at the moment.
There are so many random trails all around the outskirts of the city, some are obviously part of a park, such as the many trails crisscrossing Long Long Provincial Park etc.
Does a wilderness area count as a park? Such as the Waverly Salmon River area or the Blue Mountain Birch Cove area?
Posted Apr 26, 2020, 5:28 PM UTC · edited
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Can you walk to it, and is it nowhere near a provincial or HRM maintained park?
If the answer is yes have at it.
If you have to drive to it, no.
If there's a chance it's near a park, no.
If it has a parking lot, no.
It sucks, but let's all follow the rules and be safe.
This is correct and people should really stop trying to find loopholes so that they can do what they want. You aren’t the only person that would like to go to a trail, but if you’re allowed, so is everyone else and we end up with jam packed streets like crystal crescent before they “asked” that you not drive to any trails. It’s really not that hard to understand that you should just stay in your neighbourhood.
It's also really not hard to understand that sidewalks are absolutely packed in some areas in our neighbourhoods. Like, 4-5 people shuffling along taking the whole sidewalk up, while cars are double parked on both sides of the street with distracted drivers, so passing them at 2 metres is risky.
I see nothing wrong with driving to a rural crown land trail (one where I can guarantee you another human soul won't be near) and getting your exercise in. I'm not saying I do that, but it seems a hell of a lot safer than bumping into/scaring grandma every time you want to walk around the block.
You can guarantee that if the sun is out, people will be out. Best thing to do is to reduce populations on sidewalks. Remote areas are a much safer bet.
The entire point of "stay in your neighborhood" is to prevent unnecessary car trips. The chance of a car accident remains probably much much higher than chance of you getting coronavirus.
And dealing with you takes resources away from others. If you are stuck in intensive care on a ventilator for a week or so, you've just removed a bunch of critical resources from going to someone else.
They haven't banned driving legally yet because that becomes very complicated (need to assign long list of exemptions). They have asked repeatedly not to take unnecessary trips, because an ICU bed not taken up is the most useful thing we need.
Yeah, I mean, I know what first responders and ICU personnel have to deal with. I have both in my immediate family. I understand the risks. I'm also married to an ICU nurse.
There's less traffic on the road than ever. Driving the speed limit on a quiet rural road on a mild sunny day is not putting me at risk for a trip to the ICU via accident. There's literally no other human beings on these roads. If I put my vehicle off the road doing 50km an hour by myself on a rural road with no other traffic, then holy shit leave me for dead. It was my time.
How can we "stay in our neighbourhood" and stay safe by nearly bumping into grandma every few hundred feet on the sidewalk? Kearney lake area by Larry Uteck is my back yard currently. It's busy. We're in this together, but the sidewalks are starting to look like an August long weekend at Rainbow Haven. Absolutely packed with people with little to no self-awareness in social distancing properly. You can't pass people on the sidewalk safely. Folks in my neighbourhood are nearly deaf, and have no idea someone is behind them. Pass them on the road, and you risk getting clipped by people texting and driving.
I get that the sidewalks are busy but there’s a limit to how busy they can be if everyone is in their own neighbourhoods.
Yeah, but as someone mentioned in another thread there are more people on the sidewalks now because it's the only place/exercise we're allowed so a lot of people who would normally go to the trails/dog parks, etc. are all crammed onto the sidewalks. I'm one of them. Used to be a gym person/team sports player, but now I've taken up jogging.
No, it's not. There are open trails all over the province which are accessible and there is parking near them that won't get you towed or ticketed. They may be isolated or out of the way and not within HRM but they're out there. You just need to find them.
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Isn't this a non-answer though? He's asking about what's in the realms of the law. To OP, check out Rails to Trails, and stay away from any trailhead parking.
Which currently enforceable law would you be breaking if you drove to an open trail?
The one where you presumably have to exit your vehicle at some point to walk on the trail, leaving it to be ticketed or towed by police.
So don't park in a closed lot then. I really find it disappointing that the people of NS can't figure out how to get outside and enjoy the outdoors.
This is exactly why I made this post. Except it hasn't really provided any info, just lured people out to spread more misinfo. Dammit.
Under the state of emergency/health protection act, as I'm sure you know, trails are closed. As per https://www.halifax.ca/home/news/response-covid-19-municipal-service-updates-2
Residents can use trails in their neighborhood only, provided that trail is not connected to or in a park.
Residents are not permitted to drive to trails outside of their neighbourhood.
Police are enforcing the rules as laid out.
https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/docs/Minister-Furey-Directive-March-30-2020.pdf
Except not ALL trails are closed.
Residents have been asked not to drive somewhere. It's not "not permitted".
The words are important.
You gave us an example of a closed trail, so I'll ask again, which currently enforceable law would you be breaking if you drove to an open trail? There are open trails throughout the province.
Ah you're being a troll, got it
St Margarets bay rails to trails is open if you can walk to it. You are not allowed to drive to it. Boom! An example of a trail thats open but you cannot drive to it.
The intent of the rule is to stop people from going on unnecessary trips. Stop being so pedantic.