East Coast Trail Association

The president of the East Coast Trail Association (ECTA), a non-profit organization located in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, faces numerous challenges as he attempts to pursue the organization's 10-year dream of completing a 540 km coastal and wilderness trail on Newfoundland's Avalon peninsula. One of the largest obstacles standing between him and this goal is gaining access to the land on which the remaining sections of the trail will be built. So far, 220 km of trail has been built with the financial assistance of the federal government and corporate sponsorships. A large pool of dedicated volunteers has also contributed countless hours to building the trail, a cause which stands to benefit not only hikers, but the provincial economy in the form of tourism dollars and economic development. However, both the ECTA's financial and volunteer resources are in decline as the association tries to extend the trail. Meanwhile, the existing 220 km of completed trail are in need of resources and maintenance. Time is also running out as developers buy up coastal lands where the association plans to extend the trail. Without access to land, the dream of a 540 km trail will end.