Events & Hikes
Previous Events
Walk through the trails of Kearney Lake - Friday October 7, 1pm
On Friday, October 7, 2011 at 1 o'clock (rain date October 14) join The Halifax West Trails Association for a two hour hike featuring the trails at Kearney Lake, a hike with challenging terrain. We will hike the trail to Charlie's Lake Loop, enjoy the Charlie’s Lake Lookoff and climb to Paddler's Ridge with the reward of seeing Charlie's and Kearney Lakes at your feet from the top. At the edge of Paddler's Ridge, Bob McDonald, chair of the Halifax North West Trails Association, will talk about the watershed area Charlie's and Kearney Lake are part of and talk about HRM's promise of a Regional Park. On the way back to the parking lot, we will complete the Popcorn Island Loop that feature the beauty of Kearney Lake and its woodlands.
Kearney Lake is the home of Maskwa Aquatic Club and the lake is in active use about 10 months of the year by Paddlers from the Club. For more information regarding Maskwa Aquatic Club, go to their website. Hikers often see National and Canadian champions training on Kearney Lake.
In the spring, hikers enjoy the many wildflowers in bloom, lady slippers, mayflowers, trilliums, pitcher plants and native orchids. In the summer many hikers cool off in the waters of either Lake. In the fall the leaves changing color come to life from the top of Paddler's Ridge. In the winter Maskwa’s Loop and Popcorn Island Loop trails continue to be well traveled and hikers enjoy packed snow to hike on.
Please bring water, food, sturdy foot wear and be prepared for the steep terrain and uneven ground of these trails.
Meet at the parking lot at Maskwa, 91 Saskatoon Drive.
Kindly email if you plan to attend.
See you at the trail head.
Oct. 4 Follow-up from Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area Meeting
Thanks to everyone who attended the recent public meeting to share next steps regarding development of the Bayers Lake Business Park on some of the HRM lands which clearly overlap into the granite ridge edge of the Watershed for the Birch Cove Lakes. Questions need to be asked, quickly, so that the park boundary may include some of the sensitive areas and possible approaches to the current protected Wilderness Area and future Regional Park lands.
Keep in touch as we search for more information, maps and other news about the park boundaries.
Thanks to all who expressed their support by signing the petition to create the environmentally correct boundary for the BMBCL Regional Park on the HRM owned land subject to development. The Petition with over 200 names has gone before Council on October 4, 2011, presented by Councillor Hum. We will keep you posted on next steps.
A watershed map of the area in question
Map 13 from the Regional Plan, 2006 which indicates the concept for the BMBCL Regional Park
Bayers Lake Aerial photo shows stores and the granite ridge to the right among the trees
Old map but it includes familiar landmarks for those confused about what's ahead
Public Meeting - Tuesday, 13 September 2011 - 7PM - Keshen Goodman Library, Thomas Raddall Room
Land Development Borders Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area
Halifax Regional Council and Staff have entered into an agreement with Banc Developments for the sale of 180 acres of Public Lands in the Bayers Lake Business Park. The negotiations are being held in secret. The Public will not know the details until the negotiations and sale are complete.
The northeast section of this development, approximately 37 acres, borders the Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area (BMBCL WA), which includes a Trailhead into Susies Lake. Originating in Fairview, popular use of this trail can be traced back to 1933. This Trailhead also contains an unique Granite Rock Plateau that serves as a natural entrance to the BMBCL WA and Susies Lake. The openness of this Granite Rock Plateau would also provide an ideal Picnic Park for HRM residents and a mid-day escape for employees of the Bayers Lake Business Park.
In addition, there is no legal access to this section of the BMBCL WA. Access can only be obtained by crossing the private property of Kent Building Supplies. Should this development proceed as planned, the public may never obtain legal access.
As a Board Member of the Halifax North West Trails Association (HNWTA), Bruce E Smith, will be making a visual presentation on September 13 at 7p. at the Keshen Goodman Library on Lacewood Drive (across from the Canada Games Centre).
This is not an anti-development meeting, however, it is the objective of the HNWTA, and we hope that of the General Public, to convince Halifax Regional Council and Staff to set aside this unique parcel of 37 acres – a small part of the overall development – to ensure everyone will have legal and easy access to this section of the Blue Mountain Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area and Susies Lake.
The HNWTA will also introduce the audience to the future plans for the extension of the trails in Halifax West. The floor will open to your questions upon completion of each presentation.
A preliminary plan for the development is available at:
Halifax Bayers Lake Development Plan.
A large version of the plan can no longer be located on the HRM website.
Please contact for a large version of the planned development.
Please contact Bruce E Smith at or 902 209 2010,
for further information and media interviews. Full colour flyer suitable for posting and distribution can be found here.