Maitland News - Summer 2010 The Maitland and District Development Association is now undertaking a three-year development plan for their flagship project, Dawson Dowell Park in the centre of Maitland.  New gardens will be added along with a  boardwalk and benches.  This park is of course also one of the best places along the Bay of Fundy to watch the world famous Tidal Bore.  An interpretive board on the historic Shubenacadie Canal System marks the entrance to a gentle path over the protective dike and to a public dock with a great vantage point.

The park currently features playground equipment, fenced-in ball court, and a breezy gazebo, perfect for family picnics. 

You'll find plenty of free parking and public washrooms open weekly Wednesday to Sunday in season, right next to a gift shop offering handcrafts from many local artists.

At Dawson Dowell Park you'll find...
A beautiful tidal look-off spot...	picnic-perfect gazebo...
plus slides, swings, jungle gym and basketball court - free family fun for all!

Nova Scotia's Glooscap Trail - Mi'kmaq legends tell of the great Glooscap who created the mighty tides by magic, and it is the tides that have shaped the land and the lives of those who settled the area and live here today...

Along the shores of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, home of the world's highest tides, the Bay narrows into the Minas Basin, then narrows again to form Cobequid Bay, and then again to feed the mouth of the Shubenacadie River.  This is the Fundy Shore, a scenic and beautiful part of Nova Scotia, 'Canada's Ocean Playground'.

In 1995, the historic town of Maitland and surrounding areas was declared Nova Scotia's first Heritage Conservation District, in an effort to protect and promote the unique history & culture of the area.

Today, visitors and residents alike enjoy a naturally beautiful part of the world, offering many attractions for family fun amid stunning scenery, as well as a burgeoning cultural community.

Local industry includes farming, fishing, arts & crafts, and of course tourism.  Entrepreneurship is alive and thriving here and you'll be welcomed  to various private art studios as well as the MDDA's own Art Gallery 215, small shops and restaurants.  Thrill-seekers will enjoy river rafting on the surging sea tides as they roll up the mouth of the Shubenacadie river.  Nature lovers will find many walking trails and shoreline paths, famous for bird watching opportunities.  Accommodations range from elegant B&B's to wilderness campgrounds.

Eco-tourists will appreciate our interpretive boards at sites like our Ducks Unlimited ponds and the Fundy Tidal Interpetive Centre.  And always in the background, the shoreline, the cliffs, and the ever present action of the world's most powerful tides.

We invite you to visit us on-line and tour our web site to learn more about our Heritage Conservation District - we are proud of all that we have to offer here, from festivals to farms, from history to fine accommodations.

Where are we?  So close to highways and cities, yet so far from all the stress of today's busy world.  Click on the map at left to plan your trip...

So much to offer:

The Fundy Shore is 'Family Friendly' with many attractions & activities that will appeal to all ages. 

Climb the ladders inside Walton Lighthouse for a spectacular view of The Bay and explore the cliff side walking trails in the park. 

Pause for a picnic and enjoy fresh sea air and breathtaking views at Dawson Dowell Park in Maitland or Anthony Park in Selma. 

Roar down the Shubenacadie River at the turn of the tide and watch majestic birds like bald eagles soaring overhead.  Kids will enjoy roughing it at one of our area campgrounds, while more mature visitors will delight in our artist studios and antique shops. Visit our Attractions page for more details...

Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre,   South Maitland

Newly opened in 2007 in time for the season, the Centre in South Maitland not only offers many pamphlets and brochures on the areas attractions but makes a great starting point for your tour of Highway 215 and surrounds. 

Once you've planned your trip, begin by an easy stroll down the cliff side path to the Observation Deck, built directly over trestles from the original bridge spanning the Shubenacadie River.  Here you can see the world famous Tidal Bore as it rushes up the gorge.  Nature enthusiasts will also delight in a river-side walk, starting in the nearby South Maitland Village Park, winding along the river with various look offs and Ducks Unlimited interpretive boards.

Quick Facts on our world famous tides...

• Tides can reach heights of over 50 feet, or the height of a five-storey building. 

• Iron particles, slowing eroding from the shoreline, become suspended in the water and produce the striking red mud of the Minas Basin and Cobequid Bay.

• High Tides occur every 12 hours and 25 minutes, advancing about one hour later each day. 

• Believe it or not, the flow of water between Parrsboro and Cape Split at mid tide equal to all the rivers and streams on Earth! 

• Nova Scotia actually bends when the tide comes in, depressed under the weight of 14 billion tonnes of seawater.

• Care must be taken when beach combing, fossil or rock hunting, or even just strolling on the shore at low tide; the incoming water can move with the speed of running horse and quickly overtake stragglers!

MDDA - The Maitland & District Development Association is a non-profit group operated by volunteers from our area.  Supported over the years by organizations such as the Hants Regional Development Authority, the Municipality of East Hants and their own fundraising efforts as well,  the group has undertaken many local projects to date:
 
The extensive restoration of the Old Selmah Schoolhouse and it's conversion to their own Art Gallery 215, involved both the MDDA and many local supporters.   The group has also carried out major improvements to their park in the heart of Maitland, Dawson Dowell Park and tidal look-off.  Additionally, they organize the well-known annual Maitland Christmas Festival held in and around the village.  In addition to these very visible projects the MDDA has also created and maintains two websites, one for the Heritage District itself and one for the Selma Art Gallery.

 

The MDDA at work - Costumed members set up displays & chatted with visitors in the Heritage & Culture Tent at this year's Homecoming Festival in Kennetcook in June.