PETER L. SMITH
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

SHEENBORO – Trout Lake Rd. was once again on the agenda at the January 13 Sheenboro municipal council meeting. A letter from Amy Taylor, representing Pontiac Independent, was read requesting a public consultation regarding the ownership of the road. Taylor emphasized the need for representation from the MRC, the Ministries of Transportation (MTQ) and Forestry and Natural Resources (MRNF), Sheenboro council, and other stakeholders at such a meeting.

Council, however, voted against holding a public consultation at this time, citing conflicting reports from the MTQ. According to these reports, Trout Lake Rd. was never a colonization road and therefore was not divided between the MTQ and the municipality. Some ratepayers argue that this means the municipality is responsible for maintaining the road.

The council is awaiting further clarification about ownership and responsibility for the road. Meanwhile, a petition organized by concerned citizens calling for a public consultation on the matter has been circulated at local businesses and online. A link to the online version can be found on the Pontiac Independent Facebook page.

Currently, the road remains designated as multi-use, and the municipality has no plans to maintain it during the winter months. In summer, any work on the five kilometres of non-continuous sections owned by the municipality would require prior notification to the ministry due to the road’s current status.