Trail-Only Approach Excludes Those
Who Rely on Vehicle For Access
To the Editor,
The recent Cabot Head survey does not serve the community as well as it could. By treating permanent closure to general vehicular access as the main direction, it leaves little room for practical alternatives that many residents would consider reasonable.
For decades, Cabot Head Road functioned as a public road in the ordinary sense of that term. Built and maintained with public funds, it allowed residents of all ages to reach the lighthouse and surrounding area by vehicle. That pattern of use forms part of the lived history of Northern Bruce Peninsula.
Council has cited safety, environmental protection, and cost as legitimate concerns. Those concerns deserve attention. At the same time, the road has been reopened when needed for maintenance, emergency response, and institutional use. That history shows that managed vehicle access can work.
Northern Bruce Peninsula is largely a retirement community. Many long-time residents are no longer able to walk or cycle extended distances. A trail-only approach may function well for some users, but it effectively excludes others who have relied on vehicle access for decades.
There are straightforward middle-ground options. Vehicle access could continue in the spring and fall, with access limited to walking and cycling during peak summer months. Alternatively, summer entry could be managed with a simple gate and a seasonal student counting cars and limiting the number allowed at any one time. No buses. No commercial traffic. Just reasonable limits to prevent overcrowding while keeping the road accessible.
Some will raise concerns about costs – major capital decisions are never simple. The Township has recently reconsidered other large projects funded in part from reserves, such as the Community Center. As future priorities are assessed, ensuring continued access to a long-standing public road used by many seniors and residents across generations would seem an appropriate use of the funds.
Other parts of Tobermory, including the Big Tub Harbour lighthouse, Dunk’s Bay, and the Dorcas Bay Rd near Singing Sands, have faced visitor pressures. Those challenges are real. But the response should not be a gradual move toward restricted pockets of access. Tobermory has long functioned as an open community. Cabot Head is part of that shared landscape.
Regards,
Kevin Doyle
Dorcas Bay Road
