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Chéticamp boardwalk shutting down due to safety concerns
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There will be no strolls along Chéticamp's community boardwalk this summer as the aging structure is being closed down due to safety concerns.
Alfred Poirier, acting president of the Chéticamp Economic Council, said the non-profit group has decided that keeping the boardwalk open is too risky and he said there is no money in the budget to replace it.
"It is very dangerous and it's a very sad situation for our citizens of Chéticamp and surrounding areas that the [council board] had to make a major decision that we didn't take lightly," said Poirier.
"But when you don't have the finances, you don't have the structure and … you're scared of liability issues, that's where it came up to."
The nearly 30-year-old walkway offers a scenic view of the community's harbour and lighthouse, but in recent years it has been badly damaged by severe weather, including a post-tropical storm in 2019.
Poirier said there has been some patchwork on the boardwalk, but storms have caused it to splinter and the coastline it sits on is eroding.
Another major challenge is the boardwalk does not generate any revenue, although it does receive some donations from local businesses.
"We're always short of money," said Poirier. "We have no other revenue or income coming in. We have different organizations using the boardwalk.… But at the same time nothing is being charged and it's a major problem to get the money to operate this venture."
Lisette Aucoin-Bourgeois, executive director of Les Trois Pignons — Chéticamp's cultural centre, information centre and museum — said it's disappointing to see the boardwalk closed for the season, but not surprising.
"I think the tourism sector knew that this was bound to happen and probably the only way to address it is to completely shut it down," she said.
Council members are planning to address the boardwalk issue at a meeting this fall.
Portions of the boardwalk are owned and maintained by the council, while others are owned and maintained by adjacent businesses.
The Municipality of Inverness County has said it is not responsible for the operation or maintenance of the boardwalk, although it has supported the council through several planning processes and patchwork measures over the past few years.
Megan Wludyka, the Inverness communications officer, said the municipality does not have the means to replace the boardwalk without substantial funding from other levels of government.
Wludyka said the municipality has not had a request for additional funding since the closure announcement.
