STEPHENVILLE, NL – If you enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking or touring on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or snowmobile, then you have most likely spent time in the scenic Cold Brook area of the island’s west coast.
If you haven’t, then perhaps it’s time to start planning a trip as things have just gotten better.
As a part of a community project, students of College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Heavy Equipment Operator program offered their skills to help restore a seven-kilometre (km) section of the 29-km Cold Brook Road which connects several of the Bay St. George Snowmobile/ATV Association (BSGSA) trails.
Jan Peddle, CNA’s Bay St. George Campus Director, said, “This project was an amazing opportunity for students to partner with a local organization and apply their skillsets to gain real-life experience, while supporting the community.”
Roger Barker, Vice President of the BSGSA, agrees and said, “Our association is very pleased to partner with CNA, and with the completion of this we look forward to work on some more projects together. This collaboration has been a huge success for everyone involved.”
Barker explained that Cold Brook Road has been worn out for some time now making it inaccessible for local members of the association, as well as outdoor enthusiasts from other parts of the province who use it as a gateway to Lewis Hills and Appalachian Trail.
“This is one of our busy routes year-round — in summer it’s used by loggers, wilderness explorers, hikers, and in winter it’s flooded with snowmobilers and ATVs. This restoration will help the community a lot,” said Barker.
The BSGA is a wilderness adventure and recreation-centric, non-profit organization run by a team of volunteers who provide support for its 900-plus local members. It is affiliated with the Newfoundland and Labrador Snowmobile Federation.
This section of trail is one of the many projects the association plans to work on in order to upgrade the adventure experience for its members, and Peddle said CNA is only too glad to work as a community partner on this project, through its faculty and students, to support development in the area.
Heavy Equipment Operator is a 21-week certificate program which trains students to safely and effectively operate tractors, graders, front end loaders, dump trucks, and excavators; heavy duty moving equipment commonly used on general construction, road building, mining and forestry operations.
As a part of their program, students learn techniques to maximize the life span of construction equipment, basic machine maneuvering, control and operation in work simulated projects and safe work practices.
Graduates find employment – operating heavy equipment in the construction, road building, pipeline, mining, forestry and other industries.
To learn more about the Heavy Equipment Operator program, visit: www.cna.nl.ca
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Media Contact:
Minal Abhange
Public Relations Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.7870
minal.abhange@cna.nl.ca