LETTER: Nova Scotia premier must nix provincial park golf club proposal

Letter to the Editor by Elly Heim Saltwire - Oct. 26, 2022

Letter originally published here

Open letter to Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston:

It is with great concern that we found out about the latest proposal by Cabot Cape Breton to transform part of a sensitive parkland into a golf course.

This is not the first time Cabot Cape Breton has tried to take away a portion of the West Mabou Beach Provincial Park from citizens. In 2018, a similar proposal was thankfully turned down.

It is unfathomable that a private entity has the gall to even try to take public land and this must be stopped in its tracks.

Despite the claim of others that Cabot Cape Breton has only brought good fortune to the citizens of Inverness there have been many downsides to its presence. I am a nurse and work at the hospital in Inverness. We have a wonderful residency program locally. It is quite successful and has even led to two residents staying here to serve our community.

One of the greatest difficulties, however, is to find housing for those residents. Not only has housing become an issue since Cabot Cape Breton has set up shop, but also property prices and taxes have gone up tremendously making it difficult for many locals to afford it. This cannot be balanced by the minimum wage jobs that Cabot offers.

If Cabot Cape Breton really cares as much about the community as it claims, then they would buy a private property to develop their golf course near Mabou and still offer monetary support to the diverse community groups. Otherwise it is bribery and nothing else.

That Cabot Cape Breton wants to build their golf course in an area with sensitive sand dunes and the very fragile salt marsh and pond area, where you find rare plants and animals, is unacceptable. This is in no way compatible with Nova Scotia's new Coastal Protection Act.

Premier Houston, you were instrumental in saving Owl's Head. We ask that you do the same for West Mabou Beach Provincial Park.

Elly Heim

Mount Young, Inverness County