Cape Breton's Magazine

hearted way due to pressure applied by the late Casey Baldwin who was a Conservative member from Victoria County but who always had been in favour of the construction of this road, work was done over two or three sections by the Rhodes-Harrington Govern? ment but no section was completed. In fact nothing was done worthwhile until the Lib? eral Government came into power in 1933 when the work was again started and from time to time carried on until it was prac? tically completed this year 1952--not only the so-called Cabot Trail but also the ap? proaches to the trail. Today there is a fine gravel road not only around the actu? al Cabot Trail but around the peninsula of Northern Cape Breton. As Minister of Highways as already stated the work was carried on under my direc? tion. As we carried on our construction work possibilities of the future of that beautiful north country became more evi? dent. I discussed the matter frequently with my colleagues and I endeavoured to get the Parks Commission interested in building a great National Park equal to Banff or any of the others owned by the Dominion Government. After considerable delay we got them to make a survey of the situation which was made by the head of the Parks Commission and a report was made to the Dominion Government. In the mean? time the Government had changed from the King to the Bennett Government and we were unable to get a copy of the report. I saw the Honourable Mr. Gordon, the Minister under whom that Department functioned He refused to give me a copy of the report. I then appealed to Mr. Rhodes who in the meantime had entered the Dominion Government and became Minis? ter of Finance. He sent me to see the Honourable Mr. Gordon a second time. Mr. Gordon was apparently unwell and could not discuss business with me. I telephoned Mr. Rhodes again and he told me to come in after lunch and he would see what he could do. When I called he let me see the report in confidence but would not let me have a copy. However, Mr. Rhodes al? lowed me to read the report and I made some notes from it and I found that the report was indeed favourable and one that the Parks Commission approved of and were indeed interested in the project. However, nothing could be done so long as we had a Conservative Gov? ernment in Nova Scotia. In 1933 when the MacDonald Government came into power, I again proceeded to Ottawa and the Bennett Government in the meantime had gone with the wind and I received a very favourable reception from the Honourable Mr. Crear, the new minister in charge of the depart? ment and found him not only favourable but enthusiastic about it. He agreed that if the Government of Nova Scotia would secure the property the Parks Commission would undertake the construction of the Park. It took a year of investigation to secure the return of the property from the Oxford Paper Company, and considerable time nego? tiating the deal with the Parks Commission with regard to the construction of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. We had to give them a list of the property which was additional to their agreeing to construction of a road right around the Park from Ingonish to the South side of Cheticamp on the north east side following the shore of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of St, Lawrence on the other side. I am indeed pleased today that their agreement so far as the road is con? cerned has been carried out and a gravel road constructed and completed this year of approximately (blank) miles. Respecting the Park--the construction of the Park is well advanced but much remains to be done but will undoubtedly be com? pleted in due course. ??1' __ The ric*"' ~ EDISCOVER YOUR ROOTS Visit the N.S. Highland Village and experience pioneer life in Nova Scotia from 1800 to the 1920s. Visit displays of early architecture, in? cluding the only known replica of a "Taigh Dubh" (Black House) in North America. Our costumed staff are friendly and trained in conver? sational Gaelic and local history. Facilities include an outdoor stage and amphitheatre for concerts, the largest being our annual Highland Village Day. Our Reception Build? ing contains interesting displays as well as a gift shop, with a good sup? ply of Celtic music and books, including an excellent selection of Gael? ic materials. It also houses "Highland Roots" • a computerized program offering genealogical information to those people interested in Cape Breton family history. The Village is open daily from June 15 to September 15. For more information write or phone: N.S. Highland Village Box 58, lona, N. S. BOA ILO (902) 725-2272 Need a Radiator? Muffler? Shocks? Brakes? RAD-PRO Specializing in Radiator Repair & Recores Heaters Water Pumps, Etc. TWO LOCATIONS: Sydney ' 349 George St. - Downtown ' AND Port Hawkesbury Maclnnes Road at Specializing in Mufflers Brakes Shocks MASTER MUFFLER springs H'l:|ll.'l' Sydney: 562-2300 • Port Hawkesbury: 625-3781 Port Hawkesbury Centre Sydney: 539-6691 • Port Hawkesbury: 625-3781