A walk, bike and roll event was held this weekend in Halifax's North end to showcase the dangers of trying to get to the historically black community

A walk, bike and roll event was held this weekend in Halifax's North end to showcase the dangers of trying to get to the historically black community.

"We want our history to be opened up to all of the community, all of Halifax," says Irvin Carvery of the Africville Genealogical Society.

A number of families used to live on the land at the tip of the Halifax peninsula, but in the 1960's the city forcibly removed residents of Africville, relocating them.

In 2010, the municipality delivered an official apology to former residents and their descendants. But there is still work to be done.

"The apology was not the end of our discussions with the city. It was merely the beginning of continued discussions to see how the city could better serve the people of Africville," Carvery tells NEWS 95.7's The Todd Veinotte Show.

The community of Africville, which today includes the Africville Museum, is currently only accessible by Africville Road, an offshoot of Barrington Street.

"Presently you have to walk through mud and along fairly dangerous roads just to get to Africville," explains Peter Henry, a community member who participated in the march Saturday, July 27.

The group of community advocates and residents met on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., with cyclists, strollers and wheelchairs meeting at the corner of Barrington and Richmond, and walkers meeting at Barrington and Duffus.

"Let's start off with some sidewalks going out there to get to Africville," adds Carvery. "More importantly, we want to be on a Halifax Transit route. We want to see a bus go through there so people can get on the bus and safely access Africville."

Juanita Peters, the executive director of the Africville Museum, says she's often concerned for seniors and children who have to walk down from Barrington Street.

Peters says the walk is about 25 minutes from Barrington Street, and isn't safe.

"That's one of the things that we hear from our guests all the time," says Peters. "Especially people who are from out of town, and trying to navigate getting here. It's quite dangerous, if you're walking along the Africville Road, because there are a lot of very big trucks that come up and down there."

During Saturday's march, members of HRP accompanied riders and walkers to ensure their safety.

But because the museum and the land are a national historic site, many advocates think the city should provide regular access.

"We are a national historic site, so we're inviting people in and they can't get here. It's like inviting people to dinner and not setting the table," Peters adds.

Henry, who used to sit on the board of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, says advocates are working with the city to discuss options for bike routes.

"Presently they've got three routes in mind," says Henry.

The route he is hoping gets approved will continue the Devonshire bike lane from the bottom of Devonshire, up Barrington Street towards Africville and the MacKay Bridge.

In terms of a bus route, those at the Africville Museum say they aren't asking for much, just transport that makes the site safely accessible for those who don't have a car.

"All we've been asking for is a bus that would come down, even just once an hour," says Peters. "But we've really made no headway on that end."

Peters thinks that because of the city's focus on active transportation, Africville will see walking and cycling trails before it sees a bus.

"I often say I'm happy I don't know that people are on their way down here, when they're walking, because I would worry about them the entire way," she says. "It's a treacherous walk."