Heritage group to build nature preserve on Kingston Peninsula

A Kingston Peninsula heritage group has acquired 81 hectares (200 acres) of land it hopes to turn into a nature and heritage preserve.

Kingston Peninsula Heritage purchased the parcel of land on Tyng Hill for $500,000, which includes several historic structures and waterside property.

Hope Hunter, a board member of the group, said the goal is to preserve an area of prime real estate.

"It is a significant tract of land in an area that is rapidly developing," said Hunter.

"We want to ensure that it has recreational opportunities."

Hunter said the property was originally glebe land, which was land that supported the parish priest of Trinity Anglican Church, the oldest Anglican church in the province.

The land then became a farm, which was passed on to another family before the heritage group bought it.

Hunter said the nature preserve will offer public boating access to the St. John River, something she said is lacking in the area.

The parcel of land also has several natural features that make it perfect for people looking to spend some time outdoors.

"The property itself is largely woodland and as such is very suitable for extensive hiking, snowshoeing, that type of thing," said Hunter. 

"The height of land provides a very nice spot from which we can provide historical interpretation of the area."

The property also has several structures the group hopes to take advantage ofm including a house on the creek, which could be used for arts programming."

"There's also a what we call the Lodge," said Hunter. "We would like to look at how we could possibly restore that to turn it into more of a group activity area."

And on the top of Tyng Hill,  there is a "little cabin to get out of the wind and the weather if you're out hiking or snowshoeing."

Hunter said she hopes people in the area will help turn the property into something that can be used by residents.

The group is holding the first of what it hopes will be many clean-ups of the site on Sunday, from 1-4 p.m.

"We plan to organize a stewardship group who can begin to design programming and find the resources that we'll need in order to offer the things we want to do."