Confederation Trail
Overview
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
system in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
.
It was developed in the 1990s, following the December 31, 1989 abandonment of all railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
lines in the province by Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN).
Comprising almost the total mileage of the historic Prince Edward Island Railway
Prince Edward Island Railway
The Prince Edward Island Railway was a historic Canadian railway.-Construction:Located wholly within the province of Prince Edward Island, construction of the PEIR started in 1871, financed by the United Kingdom...
, development of the Confederation Trail was discussed by a number of rails to trails advocacy groups in the province in the early 1990s, culminating in the decision by the provincial government to purchase the entire railway right-of-way from CN in 1994 after CN had removed all track.
In addition to provincial government employees, the development of the Confederation Trail was assisted by the Trans-Canada Trail foundation, and by various community groups, volunteers, and Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
engineers who have volunteered in reconstructing abandoned railway bridges for recreational trail use across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the past decade.
Since its completion from Tignish
Tignish
Tignish is a fishing community located in western Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is located approximately NW of the city of Summerside, and NW of Charlottetown...
to Elmira
Elmira
Elmira may refer to the following places:In Canada:* Elmira, Ontario* Elmira, Prince Edward IslandIn the United States:* Elmira, California* Elmira, Indiana* Elmira, Michigan* Elmira, Missouri* Elmira, New York...
in 2000, the Confederation Trail has proven a popular recreational trail for residents and tourists.
