Residents concerned about noise and safety

Residents concerned about noise and safety

The Former Canadian National Rail Corridor Public Consultation Report is now available. These are 22 comments that were reported between December 17, 2020 and January 10, 2021. It is revealed that residents are concerned about the noise that snowmobiles and ATVs could produce, as well as several issues related to the safety of users and residents.

Residents say they fear their home’s value will drop.

Security concerns for Pontiac Station residents due to the visibility to off-highway vehicle traffic that some dwellings are uninhabited during the winter (theft and vandalism). Dwelling values may go down.

Concerns from farmers were also noted.

Farmers, cattle, and equipment crossings raise safety concerns due to lack of visibility at some areas (bushes hinder visibility). ATVs on farmland sometimes destroy fields and crops.

This consultation concerns by-law number 269-2021, in order to authorize the use of the former Canadian National (CN) rail corridor, for snowmobilers and ATV riders. The territory of the former Canadian National rail corridor crosses the municipalities of Bristol, Clarendon, Litchfield and Portage-du-Fort. During the most recent public meeting of the MRC Pontiac, the mayor of Clarendon, John Armstrong, had raised concerns about the adoption of this by-law. The Former Canadian National Rail Corridor Public Consultation Report is available here.