Canadian Pacific Railway Right of Way

Questionnaire February March 2016

The County of Renfrew through its Property and Development Committee (Chairman- Bob Sweet Mayor of Petawawa) has been working to acquire the abandoned CPR Right of Way that goes along
your property. They are proposing a multi-purpose trail. (including motorized vehicles).
Much has been published in the local newspapers and meetings have been held with interested
parties.
To date, there appears to have been no input opportunity for the property owners adjacent to this
land. Presently, illegal use continues on this right of way, despite CPR barriers and signage.
As an owner of land adjacent to the right of way, I believe I am an interested party and I should be
considered/consulted in the meetings concerning the future plans for uses of this property as it
directly affects my quality of life. My belief is strong enough that I have agreed to circulate this
questionnaire which will be presented to Laurentian Valley Township Council on its completion.
Duane MacDougall 613 735 0057
Would you kindly present below, what you would like to see as the future use for this abandoned rail
land along your property?
Street name
(number not necessary) not used for identification purposes will be used for the location on the CPR as three streets:
Heritage Place, Burns Drive and Mountainview Drive are being surveyed.

The CPR Right of Way should be : ( more space on the reverse if needed):

Additional Comments: ( over)

Canadian Pacific Railway Right Of Way Questionnaire Results April 2016

Number of Homes 58 - on Heritage Place, Burns Drive, Mountainview Drive 6 of which are seasonal
use only.
Number of Questionnaires Distributed 82
Number of Questionnaires Returned 68
Per Cent of Returned Questionnaires used in reporting : 82.9
Overall results:

Motorized

1st Choice
2*

2nd choice

3rd choice

Non- motorized

26

17

Fitness ( walking,
cross country
skiing, snow
shoeing)

28

18

Bicycle

23

Purchase to own

18

Community green
space

Municipal
roadway

No trail

3
2

Accessory Issues Raised:

1) * monitored. Monitored for abuse such as littering and speed. / A definition needs to be made
between what is rural area and what is residential area. Then, assign/enforce motorized vehicle
use on the rail bed to rural areas and a walking bicycle path in residential areas./ There are 58
property owners in 2.2 kms. In a rural area, this same distance could only have 1 owner. /- All
three streets covered by this questionnaire have unique environmental features about them
not common on any other motorized trails- a hill to the south of all the residents with large
buildings on top, and the river already has snowmobiles on it we dont need them on both
sides of our yards at once!/ The stench of burnt fuel lingers for up to a half an hour after ATV or
snowmobile passes.
2) Motorized sport vehicles meet the needs of the very few and destroy the peace for the many,
where they are used. /Mechanized vehicles take over, no safety for other uses. /The rail bed is
less than a 60 feet from our bedrooms. / Most Renfrew County residents dont even know

where these three streets are and the owners like it that way. / A trail this close to houses will
create too many problems to list here. / The Municipality has no noise by-law and there have
been numerous noise violations from the rail bed that disturb residents. Sleep at night is a
priority here.
3) grading of railway bed to a trail surface can disturb environmental contaminants,
4) private land abuts private land now, public access to private lands with a trail respect for
boundaries, / presently constant disrespect for signage, presently late night noises, liability
issues who compensates for noises and smells? / funds for maintenance and upkeepgarbage- needs to be borne by the users not the residents./ who pays to maintain a trail, who
is responsible for garbage collection?/ I do not want my tax dollars used to purchase or maintain
a trail, / how will disputes between users and locals be resolved private and quiet
enjoyment of property - all legal cases?/ Illegal users presently are noisy, smelly, careless,
reckless, disrespectful, and unco-operative/current illegal uses do not speak well if controlled
uses come later,/ how will a trail be adequately policed for uses, speeds, noise, how do you
deter motorized vehicles from entering walking trails (if a walking trail is the outcome) when
there are so many access points along Burns Drive?/How will trail access points be determined
and will parking of vehicles occur in lots for trail access where will these be?
5) safety on the trail itself between competing uses, / 5 respondents indicated they have already
had close misses with illegal motorized use on the rail bed/ safety at the private crossings (
driveways), safety of children playing outside needs strong consideration,
6) faulty economic benefit argument trail cash will not be generated but merely re-distributed
coffee/meals do not get purchased at every shop along the way, they can only sleep in one
bed at a time either its Renfrew or its Pembroke- not both,/economic savings from a
healthier life style of an exercise trail promoting active living, economics of attracting tourists to
enjoy cycling and skiing ( 2 respondents named the Petit train du Nord in Ste.Adele, QC as
destinations they have used because we do not have such in our part of the country).
7) a mentality presently exists with motorized operators that because their vehicle has the ability
to go anywhere that they can exercise this ability as a right, /-the practice exists that if there are
tracks from a motorized vehicle on site, that any and all other vehicles can follow that track.
8) - It has been repeatedly observed that the Property and Development Chair from Renfrew
County operates more as a cheerleader for a trail system than a chaiman to facilitate
facts/positions. This is not appropriate.
9) - A multi-use trail will lower property valves.
10) - A privacy/ noise barrier for noise, smells, pollution must be installed in residential areas before
any trail is opened in my neighbourhood,/ A walking trail should not interfere with the
enjoyment, peace, or safety of any of the adjacent landowners. Home owners have more rights
than transients.
11) Presently we endure these noises and smells across the front of our properties on the river
and illegal use across the back of our properties, on rail way lands. Now, the County wants
these noises and smells on both sides of our properties. Why? / In winter, whats the difference
between tracks or river? / put motorized on the river.
12) Whatever happens here, it should be on a trial basis only with a set time limit and then be
re-examined, in short order, to make appropriate adjustments, including the possibility of
shutting down whatever use is on-going if a significant problem presents itself,
13) Since the tracks were removed, I have had my vehicle vandalized and vehicles driving across my
lawn from the tracks, trails = noise and pollution 24/7, /Since the rails left, I have had theft
from my property.( Three respondents).

14) NO PUBLIC ACCESS HERE. No one in Laurentian Valley/ Pembroke /Petawawa wants the public
in their yards. The police do not patrol enough here now./Increased traffic leads to crime and
vandalism.
15) Properties here were purchased for quiet peace and tranquility not 2 strokes going through.
16) Municipal road so we can get services water, sewage, gas.
17) Walkers dogs are already dumping in my flower beds and yard! No multi-purpose trail!
18) We should be informed in writing of any actions taken for this land beside my property by the
County of Renfrew and the CPR. / residents need to have scheduled meetings about this to
decides its future use. / I would like to be advised of any developments for this land Peter van
Hoof 613 735 0715 1025 Mountainview Drive.
19) Connect to the (non- motorized) Trans Canada trail system. / Connect to Quebecs bicycle trails.
Connect with the Kiwanis Walk (using the same use criteria there). /Make it another Kiwanis
walkway.
20) PEACE and QUIET PARAMOUNT.
21) Easement for County or home owner use.
22) Allow residents to lease and use 20 feet next to the road way to prevent public access to the
private properties. The river is not accessible for the public off of Burns Drive.
23) Move Burns Drive onto the CPR right of way and allow land owners to use their own land as they
see fit not as a common driveway. ( 3 respondents).
24) I am a opposed to it being sold to locals as that would block a walk and bike path across the City.
25) Do not allow residential use along Heritage Place.
26) Snow mobiles should not be on Dairy Road, Resmir Road or Burns Drive as these are PRIVATE
and maintained only by the property owners./ We do not want rail land motorized vehicles
allowed to trespass on our private property! /Burns Drive is private property so the public
should not be on it.
27) There are already sufficient trails for motorized vehicles in the County. ( 5 respondents agreed).
28) Consider the Cape Cod Rail Trail where users do not fear vehicles of any sort.
29) Residents purchased property here with the understanding of a train a couple of times a day
and no use and private the rest of the time. A trail decreases property values and property tax
should also drop. Our heavy taxation should offer some protection from outside influences. ( 3
respondents). / We lived with trains so we can live with restricted motorized vehicle use.
30) Residents have maintained the CPR skirts for years- cutting grass, garbage picking and
eliminating fire hazards from trains. Residents should be given a priority to purchase this vacant
land.