Case-in-Point 2015

Rail to Trail Conversions: Rail to Trail Conversions - Lessons on Land Assembly and Community Support from the Rossburn Subdivision Trail Project

Gaelen Pierce BA, MCP Candiate Katy Walsh MCP, MCIP Planning Policy and Development |Province of Ilse Ketelson Secretary/Treasurer |Rossburn Subdivision Trail Association) Tom Lawless Honorary Board Member |Rossburn Subdivision Trail Association)

Abstract This case study explores the formulation of the Rossburn Subdivision segment of the Trans Canada Trail, completed in 2010, running from Russell to along an abandoned rail line. Today this section key words: of trail is governed by a volunteer board composed of local community transportation representatives, charged with overseeing the maintenance and administration for the 172 km trail. This case in point will focus on the land use challenges that organizers faced in gathering land and community community support for the project. Rail-to-trail initiatives blend the challenges of land assembly with rail land titles, active transportation and green development infrastructure at the regional scale, and rural greening initiatives. This document is intended to provide information on the processes that led to the “first significant length” of Trans Canada Trail in Manitoba (Trails Manitoba). Findings suggest that building a network of supportive community organizations, partnership with provincial and national organizations, and closely protecting the integrity of the route can contribute to successful outcomes.

Above Left: Snowmobilier enjoys the Above Right: Sunset at Sandy Lake, Rossburn Subdivision Trail, retrieved from retrieved from the Rossburn Subdivision rossburn.ca Trail Association to-trail projects touch on each Background of these types of infrastructure, What is a rail-to-trail? and can include increased transportation options, benefits A rail-to-trail conversion project for local businesses, improved is a pathway for multimodal accessibility, boosted real estate transportation built on top of an values, added tourism potential, unused rail line. Often, but not and increased recreational always, the conversion involves opportunities. removing parts of the existing railway infrastructure, including Why are rails abandoned? tracks, ties, and the surface gravel layer known as ballast. When railways were first being The resulting pathway provides a constructed through Manitoba, level, wide, and lengthy corridor development was spurred along separated from automobile traffic. their path. Before the network of automobile roads were Why do rail-to-trail? introduced, these townships formed at “6-10 mile spacing,” a Identifying a full range of impacts distance which could be travelled Above: An example of an that rail-to trail projects can abandoned railway, retrieved from by foot, horseback, or wagon abandonedrailroads.homestead.com

companies prepare and update a three year plan for each of their lines, which contains information on its intention to use or discontinue operations on the line. This plan is publicly available. When a change is made to the plan, for instance to discontinue the use of the line, the rail company must notify the Minister of Transport, Above: An example of a rail-to-trail conversion at Mon River the Canadian Transportation Trail, West Virginia, retrieved from railstotrails.org Agency, the provincial minister of transportation, the chair of (Holweger, 1998). As rural towns every transit authority, and create is a significant research became less dependent on rail senior administrative officer of challenge as individual projects freight for coal and other freight each municipality which the rail vary widely due to surrounding goods, due to increased truck impacts (Canada Transportation land uses, trail route, ancillary transport, these lines became too Act, 1996). When sale is trail network, integration of costly for companies to maintain. permitted of a line, it can only existing parks, and the quality be sold when it will be operated of the trail infrastructure. How are rails abandoned for at least three years. To This type of trail blurs the and purchased? discontinue, the company must line between transportation first state its intention to do so infrastructure, recreational The rail abandonment process in its plan at least 12 months trail, and green space. Benefits is regulated by the federal before it does so. However, if commonly associated with rail- government. All railway

2 UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA a government or community- were mobilizing to protect the line. based group endorsed by a This is the story of that government expresses an 172 KILOMETERS OF TRAIL interest in obtaining the lands, Who was involved in the the company can proceed to the project? COMMUNITIES 12 CONNECTED process of transfer ahead of that Early on in the project, it was schedule. The company must a group of snowmobilers who advertise the line to any company were interested in maintaining interested in continuing to operate the integrity of the rail lands Manitoba Recreational Trails the line, and state its interest to between Neepawa and Russell. Association. The RSTC contacted discontinue. In the case where a Supporters saw the salvages Trails Manitoba for support in municipality or community group beginning to remove the timber legal costs, funding, and title is interested in the railway, and trestles along the line and were transfers pertaining to the trail. no other offers are made, the concerned that doing so would Trails Manitoba provides it’s lands must be offered for not negatively impact the snowmobile funding through support from more than its assessed salvaged culture in the area. They began the Province of Manitoba, value. Where no offers are made raising the issue to municipalities allowing them in turn to fund trail on the line, discontinuation of the that creating a route for organizations, provide resources line occurs through application snowmobilers to use would to associations, promote the to the Canadian Transportation create tourism revenue in the Trans Canada Trail, and promote Agency, eliminating its obligations small towns along the line. A plan trail use in Manitoba. For the to operations in the Canada emerged early on to preserve the Rossburn Subdivision Trail, Transportation Act (Canadian trail. Transportation Agency, 2013). Trails Manitoba provides $2000 As the idea for the project built annually for maintenance. This is Facts and up momentum, champions began to make connections with Outcomes municipalities, adjacent land When CN began to dismantle owners, and larger organizations. the rail line between Russell and Early on, organizers spent their Neepawa, they may not have time running back and forth expected the outcry from local between RMs and towns to build groups who had a larger vision up support and return to hesitant in mind for the strip of land. It groups. Later, they realized that could be argued that CN did it was more efficient to get one not properly consult with local or two councilors on board in a municipalities on what might town, allowing them to push for become of the lands, they simply the project from within. It was out discontinued them and began of this process of gaining support to dismantle the infrastructure. from councilors that the Rossburn As salvagers were working to Subdivision Trail Committee remove resources along the (RSTC) was organized to railway, the valuable steel rails, maintain and fund raise for the wooden ties, and importantly, the trail. wooden trestles that traversed Ownership of the lands lies Above: Manitoba segments of the Trans the short spans of uneven terrain, Canada Trail (in yellow) and the Rossburn with Trails Manitoba, then the community members in Rossburn Subdivision Trail segment (in orange), recieved from Trails Manitoba

CASE-IN-POINT 2015 3 considered a significant amount opportunities and natural spaces sections and damage to the of money for a Manitoba regional has motivated some of these trail can significantly impact trail association, but other communities. usage. Because the pathway fundraising efforts and volunteer runs East and West in a region support are still required. What challenges emerged? where water runs North and Contamination was identified South, the trail often operates How did diff erent in a number of areas along the as a dike, bringing on the stakeholders respond to the Rossburn Subdivision Trail. Often erosion and water management project? these areas were contaminations problems associated with that There was considerable dissent in adjacent lands to the rail infrastructure. In 2011, heavy about how the abandoned line, as these areas were used snowmelt eroded a section of lands should be used, with to load and unload fuel and the trail, resulting in significant different groups attempting to goods. Adjacent properties costs to the trail. In this case, sway the interests of municipal received support from CN to funding for repairs was provided governments. Initially, many clean up these sites. On the trail by the Emergency Measures land owners in the area were lands, the RSTC undertook a Organization of Manitoba. The concerned about increases in outsiders using the trail. Organizers faced challenges in balancing expectations, they wanted to push the idea that this trail could be valuable to local users and to potentially attract tourism dollars, but also didn’t want to suggest to residents that they would be overwhelmed with future trail usage.

Farmers owning adjacent lands had specific concerns about how Above: Heavy snowmelt in 2011 causes signifi cant erosion near Waywayseecapo, the rail lands were going to be retrieved from Trails Manitoba used. Some preferred that the RMs take possession of the land tree planting effort to alleviate repairs to the trail will continue to and return it to agricultural uses, contamination impacts along the be a challenge for the RSTC, who but largely the issue was around corridors between Sandy Lake rely heavily on volunteers and improving access to their lands. and Russell. Common sources support from Trails Manitoba. The rail line, because of the angle of contamination in rail-to-trail by which is bisected the farmland, conversions include railroad Working with rail companies can disrupted farm operations ties, fossil fuels, metals, spilled be a discouraging experience. and created access problems. industrial fluids, and herbicides In the case of the Rossburn Farmers wanted some of these (FHA, 2004). Subdivision Trail, CN did not issues addressed. seem interested in collaborating Trail maintenance is a significant on the project. On the other hand, Some towns along the trail ongoing challenge. Above all, the salvageable infrastructure have taken steps to integrate it is the integrity of the line as along the lines do have value to their parks and recreation a whole which makes the trail rail companies, but in the scheme infrastructure. The growing useful, so poorly maintained of their operations, they don’t interest in providing fitness

4 UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA seem to stand to gain a great ... without the assistance of Trails Manitoba and the deal by thirteen Municipal and Town Councils along our portion Rail routes are often straight, of the Trail the RSTA could not exist. flat, and somewhat boring. - Trails Manitoba Annual Report Rail-to-trail projects can benefit from municipal park integration, washrooms, tree planting, and usage which can be Conclusions art, and sculptures, but these readily provided when grants options require funding above become available. Often The shifts in transportation and beyond maintenance costs. these grants have a limited technologies throughout The RSTC has looked at some time to apply, so preparation Manitoba’s history has resulted of these options to make the trail is very important. in a complex interplay of more aesthetically pleasing, but infrastructure and land uses in 4. Without support from the funding must be identified before our cities and our small towns. municipalities affected, the improvements can be made. For many rural communities, the project risks losing the unity urban form has been dramatically that a stable political process shaped by the influence of Lessons can provide. Similarly, freight rail. As these rail lines support can be found through Learned became less economically organizations and groups feasible, the towns along the lines Through speaking with a number that have mutual interests. were left with the challenges of of individuals involved in the Building that network of bisection. Rail-to-trails offer a RSTC, a number of lessons were support shared goals unique possibilty to transform gathered from their experience: 5. Continue to draw on draw the least accessible places in 1. Above all, the integrity of the on the wisdom of those our communities into integrated trail must be preserved. It with the foresight to initiate parks, regional trail networks, should have no interruptions a long term project, but and community economic and should be kept clear recognize the need for the development opportunities. and looking like a cohesive support and engagement of project. Keeping enough the community’s upcoming people involved, volunteers generations. and staff, to maintain that cohesion is essential to keep 6. Connections made to larger the project living. organizations can offer diverse benefits. These 2. Finding opportunities for new connections should be trail connections enhances celebrated because they that network integrity. can provide stability through Aggregating recreational funding, influence discourse spaces like parks, local around the project in its early pedestrian infrastructure, and stages, build momentum regional attractions contribute when local support waxes to the durability of the project. and wanes, and can provoke greater public interest in local 3. By conducting an annual projects. report, you are gathering Above: Rail ties removed in Atlanta’s valuable information on costs new Belt Line Trail, retrieved from scientifi camerican.com

CASE-IN-POINT 2015 5 Resources

Brown, Kenneth. (2012). The Best Bicycling Trails. Retrieved from: http:// webhome.idirect.com/~brown/index.html

Federal Highway Administration. (2004). Considering Contamination in a Rail-Trail Conversion. Retrieved from: http://www.railstotrails.org/ resourcehandler.ashx?id=4630

Canada Transportation Act. (1996). Section 140-146, Transferring and Discontinuing the Operation of Railway Lines. Retrieved from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-10.4/FullText.html#h-71

Canadian Transportaiton Agency. (2013). The process for transferring or discontinuing railway line operations. Retrieved from http://www. otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/process-transferring-or-discontinuing-railway- line-operations

Holweger ,Ute Elisabeth. (1998). Greenspace Enhancement in Agro- Manitoba (Unpublished masters thesis). University of Manitoba, Above: Cyclist rides the Rossbrun , MB. Subdivision Trail near Rossburn, retrieved from http://neubergthalcyclemensch. blogspot.ca/ Stilwell, Bill. (November 9, 2010). Trans Canada Trail gets a “thumbs- up”. The Neepawa Press. Retrieved from: http://www. neepawapress.com/news/local-news/trans-canada-trail-gets-a- thumbs-up-1.1392878

Trails Manitoba. (2013). History. Retrieved from: http://trailsmanitoba. ca/about-us/history/

Trails Manitoba. (2013). Trails Manitoba Annual Report 2013. Retrieved from: http://trailsmanitoba.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/ Annual-Report-2013.pdf

Trails Manitoba. (2013). Rossburn Subdivision Trail. Retrieved from: http://trailsmanitoba.ca/explore-manitoba-trails/western-uplands- mixed-grass-prairie/rossburn-subdivision-trail/

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