News Release
Community Council Wants Tree Issue Clarified
(Wednesday, September
29/04)-- Councillor Gary Meade was simply responding to the wishes
of tourism operators along Highway #333 (Peggy’s Cove Road)
recently when he suggested the Province reinstate up its tree trimming
program along that coastal route to afford tourists a better view
of the ocean, according to a member of the Tourism Industry Association
of Nova Scotia (TIANS).
Karl Webb, owner of the Havenside Bed and Breakfast, Tantallon,
states in a recent e-mail to Judith Cabrita, President of TIANS,
that “Most tourism operators on Highway #333 were absolutely
in agreement with the proposal made by Gary (Meade), in fact, he
was responding to the requests made to him by these tourism operators.
I guess my question is: when should TIANS go to the press?”
It added “A while back, Gary Meade talked about the need to
do something about the viewshed of Highway #333 to Peggy’s
Cove. The next thing that happens is that he is the center of a
large article in The (Chronicle) Herald and is held-up as the ‘boogie-man.’
The article even went on to condemn clear-cutting-- which was not
any part of Gary’s presentation.”
Mr. Webb stated in his letter to Ms. Cabrita “TIANS was off-base
on this article and it will certainly make it more difficult for
us ‘tourism officers’ to get the Department of Highways
to reinstate their road-trimming program.”
Also, in the August 28, 2004, edition of The Daily News, it was
reported that neither the Nova Scotia Tourism Department nor the
president of TIANS were aware of any complaints from tourists regarding
the views from the Peggy’s Cove Road.
Ms. Cabrita was quoted in that article as saying “What might
be better is to identify the beautiful views and then have some
look-offs and turn-offs where people could actually stop and really
enjoy it, rather than tearing down the trees.”
Members of the Western Region Community Council requested at their
September 27, 2004, meeting that HRM issue a news release to clarify
Mr. Meade’s role in this matter.
—30--
John O’Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
(902) 490-6531
