The Town of Port Hawkesbury was asked to remember a long-time game warden.
Steven Long told last night’s regular monthly meeting of Port Hawkesbury Town Council that he
would like to see his grandfather Austin Letcher memorialized on the Port Hawkesbury
Aerial photo of a portion of the trail system in Port Hawkesbury. (Nova Scotia Government photo)
Community Trail.
Letcher served in what were then called Forest Rangers from 1947 to 1967 in Inverness County.
On Oct. 7, 1967 Letcher investigated bright lights in the sky and gun shots in the air around the River Denys area. In the early morning hours the next day, he was found unconscious in an overturned vehicle outside Port Hastings and was later pronounced deceased at St. Martha’s Hospital in Antigonish.
Although foul play was suspected, Long said there were no arrests in the case.
Letcher was one of three conservation officers who lost their lives carrying out their duties and is recognized on a monument at the Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park, as well as the Fallen Peace Officers Monument at Grand Parade Square in Halifax, and the Canadian Police and Peace Officers Monument in Ottawa.
After Long asked that the town’s trail system be renamed the Austin Letcher Senior Memorial Hiking Trails, Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton noted that the Strait Area Trails Association will have to be consulted while town council considers the request. She said the town will send a copy of Long’s presentation to the trail group.
Deputy Mayor Hughie MacDougall suggested that perhaps a section of the trail system could honour his father, and the mayor added that could also include one of the trail heads.
After Town Councillor Jason Aucoin noted that the town has no naming policy, CAO Terry Doyle said he will investigate other such policies and report back to council.