Barrett Fort

We went for a hike the other day up to the old Barrett Fort lookout on Ridley Is. road and was sad to see all the flagging tape. Most of the hazards and C.M.T.'s are all flagged off as if the Port is planning to bulldoze everything. If they are planning to destroy the old Fort I don’t think they will tell the public before starting due to the possibility of being held up by people with intentions of making it somewhat of a historic site. I remember meeting a ww2 historian that said that this was one of the best preserved canadien ww2 forts still around. It would be a shame to see it go. Maybe it’s slotted for another LNG site or bulk unloading facility that isn’t on the radar yet.

I’ve brought this up in the past and agree with you. It would be a shame to see it go. Here is a link to the previous post. Included is a link to the port authority 2020 land use plan which shows nothing planned for the area.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21087&p=196210&hilit=Barrett#p196210

I guess the only way in there now is from the Ridley side? I’m asuming walking in on the tracks from the port side is prohibited now.

That is the one on the south tip of Kaien Is. Just before you get to the guard house on Ridley

This is Michael from the Port Authority writing in reference to the observation by MadMax that flagging of trails and hazards has recently taken place at the Barrett Point Fort site on southwest Kaien Island. There is presently no work by the Port Authority being done at that location. None of our departments or contractors is responsible for the work he describes. The identity of the individual or group responsible for the flagging is unknown.

It’s important to emphasize, however, that public access is officially prohibited to the Barrett Point lands. The site is extremely dangerous, with rusting, knife-sharp metal artifacts often obscured by thick brush. The eroding concrete, hidden pits and overgrown cliffs pose significant risks for backcountry visitors. If you have any questions about access to Port Authority properties, please call our community line at 250 627-5621.

Michael,

Could you comment on any plans for this area and whether making it a safe and accessible recreational area is something that the Port is willing to look at?

I would not describe Barrett Fort as “backcountry”; it’s not far at all from the highway and was also readily accessible from the beach before public access to the road was denied for reasons that are less than clear (considering that the road was fenced for most of its length).

Hopefully the Port will some day, as an expression of its commitment to the community and other public virtues, consider undertaking a feasibility study to remediate the site for its recreational and heritage values, and tourism potential.

I was hoping to get an honest response and I’m not sure why there is not a willingness to reply. I do hope however that the Port Authority looks strongly at developing this as a recreational area. It’s a jewel and an untapped asset, and it would be a shame to do nothing with it, or even worse, destroy it. There doesn’t appear to be any development designated for this space and it currently sits outside of the secure industrial area. So I ask you, why not?

I apologize for being slow to respond to this question.

Crazy Train asked, “Could you comment on any plans for this area and whether making it a safe and accessible recreational area is something that the Port is willing to look at?”

Currently there are no such plans for the area in question. However, the Port Authority remains committed to working with the community to enhance public access to waterfront and other lands where possible. The Cow Bay Vision is an example of this type of project. There are details online at rupertport.com/news/features/cow-bay-vision.

The Port Authority’s Community Investment Fund (details at rupertport.com/community/investment) has also made significant contributions to a variety of recreation initiatives in our region. These include (to name only a few) Shames Mountain, the CHSS sports field, and the Port Edward playground and skateboard park.

If you would like to express an opinion for the Port Authority’s consideration about the future of the Barrett Point lands, I urge you to call the Community Comment Line (250 627-5621) or email pcorp@rupertport.com.

Thank you for your reply.

I appreciate the investment that the Port has made in the community and if you were to look back into the HTMF archives you’d see that I’m an advocate for what you do. Cow bay development and the community investment funds are fantastic but I’m specifically interested in preserving/redeveloping Barrett fort, as are many. I offered up an idea in a previous thread to have the space cleaned up and made safe with perhaps picnic tables, interpretive trails and a park/ lookout area where people and families could enjoy the view, safe from the industrial activity in which our access has been restricted. It’s above the rail line, offers historic value and tourism potential. I can’t think of a better recreation location to develop as an investment in the community. Thank you for providing the contact information and advice. I hope that anyone interested in seeing this area developed into a rec site contacts the Port and voices their support.

[quote=“Crazy Train”]Thank you for your reply.

I appreciate the investment that the Port has made in the community and if you were to look back into the HTMF archives you’d see that I’m an advocate for what you do. Cow bay development and the community investment funds are fantastic but I’m specifically interested in preserving/redeveloping Barrett fort, as are many. I offered up an idea in a previous thread to have the space cleaned up and made safe with perhaps picnic tables, interpretive trails and a park/ lookout area where people and families could enjoy the view, safe from the industrial activity in which our access has been restricted. It’s above the rail line, offers historic value and tourism potential. I can’t think of a better recreation location to develop as an investment in the community. Thank you for providing the contact information and advice. I hope that anyone interested in seeing this area developed into a rec site contacts the Port and voices their support.[/quote]

Brilliant!

When in my teens we would camp at 2nd fort, but we would have to walk in from 1st fort. It was really scary!!! But a lot of fun.

Walking the tracks along 1st fort and 2nd fort were like a rite of passage for kids growing up in this town. It’s a shame that whole area hasn’t been opened up at some point. Those forts… the gun emplacements… the fort across the harbor on Digby… the tracks on mount hays… it’s all a part of Rupert’s history and places where people can actually touch history.

[quote=“Kispiox”]

[quote=“Crazy Train”]Thank you for your reply.

I appreciate the investment that the Port has made in the community and if you were to look back into the HTMF archives you’d see that I’m an advocate for what you do. Cow bay development and the community investment funds are fantastic but I’m specifically interested in preserving/redeveloping Barrett fort, as are many. I offered up an idea in a previous thread to have the space cleaned up and made safe with perhaps picnic tables, interpretive trails and a park/ lookout area where people and families could enjoy the view, safe from the industrial activity in which our access has been restricted. It’s above the rail line, offers historic value and tourism potential. I can’t think of a better recreation location to develop as an investment in the community. Thank you for providing the contact information and advice. I hope that anyone interested in seeing this area developed into a rec site contacts the Port and voices their support.[/quote]

Brilliant![/quote]

^This.

My father was a Cpl. in WWII who was posted at Barrett Ford before being sent overseas. He was saddened to see the state of it shortly before passing. I hiked up there with my father about five times when I was a kid, each, literally was an unforgettable experience.

On a related note, the access to waterfront property “problem” is something I never thought I’d see here in PR. It’s actually quite disheartening. The “easily accessible” areas aren’t suitable for use anymore for one reason or another. For example hiking down the tracks from the “Super Port,” the walking of the waterfront dirt road, the Rushbrooke train track trail, Seal Cove base bridge disrepair, lack of access to the “lookout” on Ridley Island, lack of access to both the beach on the immediate right (across from Grain),

I sure hope the Port does some sort of community revitalization or enhancement project before the spend all their money’s on a new office building like in the link posted. $80,000,000 would go along way in this community since the city is so broke, grasped on any straw to make ends meet.

officemb.ca/work/prince-rupe … asterplan/

Sure funny how the previous link disappeared after been posted here

I know I clicked on it when it was first posted and it opened and saw the info on the ports plans. Now it wont open to that page anymore.
Sure is strange.