The Seawall Society

About us

The Seawall Trail Society is responsible for the development of the Seawall Trail. The Society - a registered non profit - was formed in 2014 with the goal to develop Northern Cape Breton's (Unama’kik) natural walking assets and to create a product that would support both locals and visitors from around the world. In addition to attracting hikers, the Society believes that the trail has great potential as a sustainable economic engine in rural Nova Scotia.

The Society is comprised of a diverse group of members who are passionate about nature, exploring, hiking and grassroots community development.

Meet our team
Clare Waque
Trail Development Lead
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Staff

Clare became involved in Seawall Trail in 2015 when she worked with Cobequid Consulting on the proposed trail alignment and looks forward to seeing others experience the Seawall Trail. In August 2021, she was hired to work as our Trail Development Lead. Clare reports to the Board of Directors and sits on the Working Group. Most recently, she has been busy guiding experts in the field. Clare has a decade of experience in community economic development, and project management in Nova Scotia. She is a mother of twins, a beekeeper, and is looking to move to the top of the island. Clare is an entrepreneur; it is her goal and great pleasure to invest energy, ideas, and innovation in the creation of opportunities, experiences and successful projects. Clare lives in Economy but plans to climb every mountain. Her favourite tools are a chainsaw and a spreadsheet....so this is pretty much her dream job. cwaque.com


Ray Fraser
Board Member, Chairman
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Bay St. Lawrence

For over twenty years Ray Fraser has been living, whale watching and fishing out of the port of Bay St. Lawrence in Northern Cape Breton - Unama’kik. In addition to working on the Seawall Trail, Ray is a prominent volunteer in both tourism, and recreation. When not enjoying the outdoors with his family, Ray can be found studying Gaelic.

David Williams
Vice Chair
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Sydney

David Williams is an engineer whose life has twisted and turned in all kinds of unexpected directions. He's built designed high speed fibre optics, installed fish processing equipment in Alaska, manufactured tags that track the world's tuna, built a passive solar log home and renovated a few others. He enjoys the outdoors in all seasons, loves to travel and finds great joy in looking after his little girl.

Scott MacLeod
Board Member
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Coxheath

Scott has been dreaming of a long multi day hike in Northern Cape Breton for a long as he can remember. When he stumbled into the Seawall Trail Society almost 10 years ago, he jumped right in. Scott, a graduate of the TRU Adventure Guide program, has trained and studied many outdoor disciplines. He is an active x-country skier, hiker, sailor, fisher, and hunter. He is a father of 3 girls and a husband who is looking forward to completing the Seawall Trail with his family some day soon. Scott has been operating a successful business in Cape Breton since 2013. He enjoys the flexibility of entrepreneurship that affords him lots of time to get outside.


Darcy Kimmit
Board Member
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Meat Cove

Darcy Marie Kimmitt. Come from away local. Committed to responsible, sustainable show casing of Northern Cape Breton. Business entrepreneur, substitute teacher, self taught bookkeeper for Village grocery store, soon to be married to seasoned fisherman of the area, over educated with 4 degrees, and so on.

Ricky Buchanan
Treasurer
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Bay St. Lawrence

Rick is the society's Treasurer

Richard Brown
Board Member
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Cape North

Matthew Burton
Board Member
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Bay Saint Lawrence