Thousands of dollars in damage done to gates at BLT trail, RCMP says

The RCMP is turning to the public for help as it investigates mischief along the Beechville-Lakeside-Timberlea trail system.

According to police, officers were called on Sunday morning to reports of vandalized gates along the trail.

“At this time, it’s believed that a total of ten gates preventing motorized access were vandalized sometime during the previous night,” Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said. “Damage is estimated in the thousands of dollars.”

In a post to the BLT Rails to Trails Association website on Monday, the group said the damage was worse than initially feared.

“A large vehicle tore through the trail, damaging over ten gates from Timberlea all the way to Hubley,” the post read. “Gates have been ripped off, bent, and some completely destroyed, essential parts of our trail’s security and safety are now in need of urgent repair.”

The association said insurance won’t cover the cost of repairs and it is seeking donations from the public.

The RCMP is now appealing to the public for information on the vandalism.

Anyone with information is asked to reach out to police or Crime Stoppers.