Blocked road to Cape Tryon lighthouse could soon reopen

People may soon be able drive down the dirt road leading to Cape Tryon lighthouse, one of the most iconic in the province.

Two years ago, the lane was blocked off by the farmer who owns the road and the surrounding farmland.Wayne Cousins said the road was in such bad shape that people were driving over his crops to get to the lighthouse, instead of using the road.

Under an agreement signed with the former landowner in 1905, the federal government has the right to use the road to maintain its lighthouse.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has previously said the condition of the road is good enough for its employees to use.DFO said it's not its job to maintain the road for the public.

But Cousins said cars trying to get to the lighthouse would scrape bottom in the deep ruts.

"Anyone to go down with a car, it's not in good shape."

Cousins said that's why he put a padlocked chain across the lane.

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Ongoing discussions

Cousinssaid he got nowhere with the previous Conservative government, so he turned to Wayne Easter, the Liberal MP for Malpeque.

"Mr Cousins certainly has a legitimate complaint. That road was not kept in good repair," said Easter.

"We've tried to get that road shaled so that people that want to view the lighthouse would take the road. Instead, they're driving in Mr Cousins' fields. One year I went up and looked and new fields seeded with alfalfa a very expensive crop to seed hadcar tracks and truck tracks down through it, so he has every right to be frustrated and angry over the way this road has been handled."

Easter said he's pleased his discussions with the federal government about fixing the road seem to be going well.But he added it's not a done deal.

Not over till it's over

"I've learned in this political field to never say it's a done deal 'til it is a done deal, but my expectations are that we're making progress and we may find a solution in the not-too-distant future," he said.

"I would certainly like to have an agreement that the road would be looked after during the summer months, and that you could drive down it with a car and wouldn't have to take a four-wheel drive."

Easter said discussions are ongoing.

"So there's willingness to try to find a solution here, whether money would be transferred to somebody else to shale and grade that road," he said. "I'm actually pleased where they are compared to where they were two years ago."

But Cousins is not convinced his road will be fixed.

"Well, it sounds better, but I've heard them stories before."

Cousins will block new ownersuntil road fixed

Cousins hasn't yet put up the chain this year, but he said the moment someone drives on his field, the chain will go up again.

Hesaid he doesn't mind if people walk down his onekilometre lane to visit the lighthouse, but no one will drive down until the road is fixed, andthat includes thenew owners of the lighthouse, the L.M. Montgomery Land Trust. The group took over ownershiplast week.

Bill Bishop,president of the land trust, said he's hoping Cousins and DFO can reach an agreement soon, so that the road can be fixed to make it easier for people to get down to the lighthouse.

CBC reached out to Fisheries and Oceanson the issue, but the department declined comment except to say the transfer process is under way for the Cape Tryon lighthouse,as well as others.