Trans Canada Trail Experiences?

[Aphillips]

Hello,

Sorry for the off topic post, it was suggested I
might get more response in this forum.

I would like to hear from people who have
property adjacent to a public trail system/Trans
Canada trail. What is your experience? Any
problems? What kind of an operation do you have?
Please feel free to send your comments privately to
me at ap98rd@aol.com

There is a trail proposed to go adjacent to my
property. Myself and my neighbors have various
concerns regarding this trail. Our local trail society
brushes off our concerns as "myths", and in general
have a negative attitude which doesn't foster much
trust on our part. Following is a direct quote from
a representative of our local trail society, just to
show you what kind of attitude we are dealing with.

"But "urbans" using those trails will be walking with
respect and care. And those concerned about who
will pay for these trails should not lose sight of the
fact that, for the most part, it's the urbanites' tax
dollars that prop up the agricultural community
when it faces tough times."

So we decided to try and gather our own
information from people who have direct
experience. If you can share you experiences we
would appreciate it, and if you know of someone
who does, please feel free to forward them my
email address. Or if you are in the same position
as us, with a trail proposed in your area, we would
welcome hearing from you as well.

ap98rd@aol.com

Thanks, Anne

[kato]

I'm not going to be much help here. The trans Canada trail runs a couple of miles north of us, but it's seldom used. I've seen snowmobile tracks on it, but I've never seen a real person.

I guess your experience would probably depend on how close to larger urban centers you are.

[Ron]

Just curious do you get compensated for a
trail running through your property? If
it splits a piece in 2 are they then
separate titles? (thats more important as
you get close to cities)
What if somebody wanders off the trail
onto your property? Who is liable if they
hurt themselves or damage your scenery?

[Aphillips]

I'll try to answer your questions based on what I've
been able to find out.

There are different agreements that can be made,
from outright purchase of the land to access
agreements. Don't know if there would be
compensation with an access agreement.

I would think if the land was sold, then there would
be two separate titles if the trail were to split it up.

I see liability as a huge issue. Trail societies are
supposed to carry insurance for their trails, but
apparently it is getting so expensive (having
doubled and tripled over the last few years) many
are not. And some of these trails don't have a
society operating them. Alberta trailnet and Central
Alberta Regional Trail Society do not build, maintain
or insure trails, they exist as lobby groups and
support for local trail societies.

So what does this mean to landowners? Will
insurance go up? I guess wandering trail users
would be considered trespassers, but good luck
with that. And if one of them hurts themselves, I'm
sure lawsuits would follow. Even if they didn't win,
the cost of litigation to defend yourself would hurt.
As far as I know you don't get awarded court costs
if you win.

As far as someone damaging something on your
property, I guess first you would have to catch
them in the act, call the RCMP, try and get them to
actually respond and do something about it, (if you
could keep the person there) and then I guess you
would have to sue them. I read about a case in BC
where a trail user started a fire that ultimately
burned down a nearby farm. The farmer tried to
sue the trail society but it had gone defunct and the
news article I read didn't say what the end result
was.

So here we are looking at going from years of
peaceful living to what I see as a constant nightmare
of problems with little to no recourse when there is
a problem.

This is how I understand things, but I could be
wrong on some of it.

[Aphillips]

You know, I realize that unless you have a trail by your
place or a proposed trail, that this probably doesn't
interest you much. But try looking at it this way, the
money spent on these things is ridiculous. As an
example Lacombe County recently approved spending
$700,000 on a mere 6 km of trail. They plan at least
another 20 km. Seriously, think how far that money
would go to maintain our roads, something we all use,
and by the way can be walked on too.