Revived campground plan raises concerns about traffic, wetlands with Shediac-area residents

Residents of a quiet cottage community in southeast New Brunswick are pushing back after learning a controversial campground project stopped five years ago is now being reconsidered.

The undeveloped property on Euclide Leger Road in Cap-Brûlé, a five-minute drive east of Parlee Beach, would include 230 sites. The project was previously put on pause by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure because of a blind hill at the intersection with Route 133. 

Andrew Mitton, a seasonal resident for over 40 years, said turning left onto the side road is already unsafe in a car — with traffic zooming by as fast as 80 kilometres per hour.

"I think anybody who's gone and looked at the intersection quickly understands between vegetation, the blind hill, lack of visibility, that it creates a significant hazard for all the vehicles and traffic that passes by," he said.

"It's hard for us to understand how these large vehicles are going to make that turn."

Development of this stretch of land has been controversial from the start.

Two decades ago, the land owners at the time illegally filled in an environmentally-sensitive wetland. More recently, developer Pierre Vautour purchased the land for a campground, sparking fierce opposition from residents. The sites for the Shediac Camping Resort were initially marketed with a summer 2017 opening, until the plan ran into roadblocks.

After the project was delayed by the Department of Transportation, the former municipality of Beaubassin-East voted to grant a two-year extension to give the developer time to sort out the issues. The community is now part of the newly formed municipality of Cap-Acadie.

Members of Cap-Brûlé's community association say they heard rumours the plans were back on the table and learned through a Right to Information Act request that the department is considering traffic-pattern changes.

The documents show the developer, Viva Development Inc., retained an engineering firm in January to evaluate the intersection and find options to meet provincial requirements.

The report recommended adding an acceleration lane for traffic turning right onto Route 133 and prohibiting left turns with a traffic island.

Emails and reports from the public records request, shared with CBC News, show the province was considering different recommendations from Department of Transportation staff in February. 

Reached by phone, Viva owner Pierre Vautour said he's still trying to move the project forward through the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

"We're at the same point we were seven years ago," he said.