Grand Pré residents worry heritage designation could lead to higher taxes
Last Updated: Monday, April 6, 2009 | 2:07 PM AT
CBC News
Making Grand-Pré National Historic Site a world heritage site isn't necessarily going to be beneficial for the area, say some locals.
A team is working to prepare a bid in the hopes of winning UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, but people living in the 250 or so homes in the proposed area in Nova Scotia have concerns.
Resident Michael Townsend said he and others are worried about the possibility of higher property taxes and increased traffic. He said some farmers might close privately owned access roads to the public if too many people want to walk on the dikes. Another resident, Paul McKinley, said the community doesn't want to attract hotels and more restaurants.
To win UNESCO designation, the group — called Nomination Grand Pré — has to prove the site has outstanding universal value, is culturally significant and that protecting it would benefit the world.
The team believes the national site, located in the Annapolis Valley, and its surrounding dike land is a great example of the community-based approach to farming of the 17th and 18th centuries.
It was the centre of Acadian settlement until the deportation began in 1755.
Nomination Grand Pré is working toward completing the bid by February 2011 for designation the following year.
Nova Scotia already has two World Heritage Sites: the Joggins Fossil Cliffs and the old town of Lunenburg.
