Is Peggys Cove getting too crowded?
Tourism Department to study overcrowding, traffic in village
By David Jackson / Provincial Reporter

Heavy traffic on the narrow roads that wind through idyllic Peggys Cove will be part of a study later this year.

About 750,000 people visit the tiny seaside community each year, a number that has grown with an increase in cruise ship visits to Halifax and the completion of the Swissair Flight 111 memorial at nearby Whalesback.

Tourism Department official Bob Book said the department and community want to look at how to preserve the community's "integrity" while accommodating visitors.

"That's a difficult balance to try and strike," said Mr. Book, director of development in the tourism division.

Jack Campbell, owner of the Sou'Wester restaurant, a stone's throw from the famous Peggys Cove lighthouse, said it may be time to look at limiting the number of buses entering the village.

"I don't like turning away business any more than anyone else, but you're going to hurt yourself if you overdo it because you're not being fair to people or the residents," he said. "The visitors don't get a good look at Peggys Cove when it's overcrowded."

Mr. Campbell said it would also be nice to make the area more pedestrian-friendly, although it would be difficult to add sidewalks to the narrow roads with shoulders that drop off sharply.

Eliza Manuel, co-chairwoman of the Peggys Cove Preservation Society, said the study could help the area.

"I think everyone would like to walk around the village and not get gassed by diesel fumes or run over by campers," Ms. Manuel said.

She said she hopes businesses that aren't in Peggys Cove but have an impact on the area, such as bus tours, will be involved in the study.

Fellow society member Judy Dauphinee said she's discouraged by problems such as inadequate signs for the Swissair memorial.

"If they don't fix the problem that's right in front of you, what's the good of this study?" Ms. Dauphinee said.

Area MLA Bill Estabrooks said all local residents, not just tourism operators, should be consulted about the situation.

He said he wants to ensure Peggys Cove isn't turned into a parking lot or a "T-shirt-hawking Coney Island destination."

A request for proposals for the study closes June 23. Mr. Book said he expects a consultant will be selected by mid- to late July, and the final study completed in four to six months.

The consultant will be expected to get opinions from residents, business owners, tour operators, community groups, environmental experts and others on traffic and how to enhance visitor experiences and services.

The study's price tag is expected to be less than $49,000.

http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2003/06/10/f239.raw.html

Strange, don't you think?

We knew, way back when... this would happen.

Unfortunately, we were met with much criticism (by many individuals) for that insight.

I'll leave it at that, because to say more would not be very prudent.

L

I don't even know how to respond to this sort of article. It does seem that every time a tragic unnecessary air crash happens the family members want a memorial. I guess it is human nature but I honestly don't understand why. To me it is just another extremely sad reminder of something that should have never happened. The idea of people posing their children there for pictures (as was described in one article) is just one disturbing image I try not to think about.

Edited to add: Far more disturbing to me is the family members' apparent apathy towards the final report but I'd better keep it to that. I am just livid over this 'entertainment system' and mylar issue. The U.S. government and the Swiss should be taking this very seriously and family members should speak up or the whole thing will be ignored. Mark and I are continuing to look into this and hope to have more information on this soon. It is not something we feel should be ignored by any means. My advice to any family member disturbed as we are by the conclusions in the final report is to call anyone that will listen because swissair 111 needs to be looked at under a microscope. It is unbelievable what those involved in causing this are getting away with. The only way to prevent this from happening again is to expose this to the public.