MERIGOMISH, N.S. — There are plenty of questions and just as many rumours swirling around in Merigomish, Pictou County this week.
The RCMP have had a command post set up on a dirt road that runs parallel to the Shore Road in the vicinity of the rural community’s post office since Monday morning. As of Wednesday, they were still set up with about 10 vehicles on site.
“There’s a lot of stories going around,” said post office employee Lorna Cameron. “If I had a nickel for every one...”
Police aren’t revealing any information about the nature of the case at this point only to say that is part of an ongoing investigation. Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said there is no need of concern for safety in the community.
Still people in the community wonder what’s happening.
Cameron said she hadn’t given much thought when she first saw a white vehicle near the railway tracks, assuming it was just repair work for the track itself. But then someone came in and mentioned it to her. Since then it’s been a steady stream of people stopping in to chat with her and speculate.
Stephanie Hemmings said the activity includes a portion of her property and she talked with an officer the day police arrived.
“He was very pleasant and said they were investigating in the woods, that they wanted to let us know they'd be as unobtrusive as possible, and that's about it.”
She said the police presence is large during the day and reduced at night.
“I basically just trust that they're doing their job, and if there's any cause for alarm they'll let us know,” she said.
Anne MacDonnell lives nearby and because of a back issue has been walking the stretch of road regularly. She said her wife had asked police officers about what was happening and she spoke with a liaison officer.
“They said it was part of an ongoing investigation and that they expected to be here all week,” she said.
She said there have been excavators in the area, but couldn’t say for sure whether they were being used by police of if they were for the nearby properties.
