Walking Shubie Park-Fairbanks Interpretive Centre Trail

Last week, I decided to take the dog, (and my husband ) to Shubie Canal trail head, located at the Fairbanks Interpretive Centre.  Neither my dog, (nor my husband ) had been to the park before,so it was an opportunity for both of them check out some new trails. We only covered  a smidgen of the over 18 km of trail.
The Trail
The trails for the most part are well maintained crusher dust and easy to walk-although there are sections that have a few hills.
I love that there is an off leash section, plenty of benches and lots of garbage cans. Not so much with the toilets- but there are washrooms at the beginning as you enter the parking lot  as well as inside the Fairbanks Centre. Plan your liquid intake accordingly. I rate the washrooms on this visit ‘A’

The trails are used for mountain biking and snowshoeing and runners and walkers seem to flock there no matter what the weather.
Nature lovers will enjoy the trail with it’s  brooks and ponds and wildlife-including  many brightly painted birdhouses on the trail.
The Fairbanks Centre is interesting in itself. Take some time to look around., read the interpretive displays and see a model of a working lock,The centre is wheel chair accessible.
The Shubenacadie Canal and a waterway was a traditional water route for Mi’maq .beginning at what is now the Dartmouth waterfront and continuing to the Bay of Fundy at Maitland and encompasses a series of 9 locks,which a devices used for raising and lowering boats, ships and other watercraft between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. At each lock you can see remnants or restorations of those 19th century locks although some are barely visible and only at low tide. Locks 6 at Horne’s Settlement and Lock 7 at Enfield also offer trails and there are spots along the system to kayak-some portaging ,though.I hope to try  that this summer.
Fairbanks Centre is admission free and open year round -Monday- Friday during regular business hours.
The Fairbanks Centre  is interesting to go though as well and is located in Shubie Park, not far from Mic Mac Mall-coming form Burnside take the next exit past MicMac.
Take the Waverley Rd north, just past Tim Horton’s, then turn left onto 54 Locks Road,.
Phone: 902-462-1826