Sam Arnold, of Hunter River, was riding his bike on the trail Monday (Aug. 20) when he came to what appeared to be a permanent fence blocking the path just west of Junction Road near Breadalbane.
Arnold said while the fence was marked with a gate for individuals to cross, it was a less-than-desirable situation for those unfamiliar with large animals and for tourists. He added it appeared the runway had been in place for a long time, given how chewed up the trail was.
“It was a little disconcerting,” said Arnold, who added he was unsure whether the fence was electric. “I didn’t really want to touch it to find out. It looked like a standard electric fence.”
After crossing through and returning to the area about an hour later, Arnold said part of the fence was down. A Department of Transportation trail maintenance worker was also at the site.
“He said the guy had been told to take them (the fences) down before,” said Arnold.
While no one at the department could be reached for an interview Thursday, (Aug. 24) the department offered this statement.
“Officials from the province examined the site Thursday. There was no fence in place at the time of the visit. Officials say they will take appropriate action.”
Arnold said while farmers are allowed to create a barrier for their herd to cross the trail if they own fields on opposite sides, he believes the barrier has to be temporary and removed once the cows are driven into the field.
The Guardian
