At its February 28 General Committee meeting, Glenn Gilbert was before Huntsville councillors with a petition containing 255 signatures asking to be allowed to connect to ATV routes from one end of Huntsville to the other.
He said he’s been to the OPP and was informed that he can drive on District roads at half of the posted speed but was advised to approach Huntsville Council for routes in Huntsville.
Gilbert told councillors that he is 74 years old and he and his wife have a 2up and the like to ride the trails. “But we cannot access the trails on the other side of Huntsville to get to… Brunel,” explained Gilbert. He was suggesting a route going from Ravencscliffe to West Road, to Centre Street North, up to Veterans Way and onto Brunel, which is a District Road.
Councillor Monty Clouthier asked Gilbert if his suggested route was flexible. “It’s absolutely not written in stone,” said Gilbert noting that his only request is to be able to drive from Ravenscliffe to Brunel. “If there’s a better route or even further away from town, it doesn’t have to be through town, it’s just what I came up with but if there’s a better idea, let’s do it,” said Gilbert.
Deputy Mayor Dan Armour suggested a possible route from Ravenscliffe through to Howland Drive, across Hwy. 60 to Williamsport Road, noting that the route suggested goes across school zones and could prove to be treacherous. Gilbert said he’d be okay with that. He said he’d just like to access the trails on the other side of Brunel.
Councillor Dione Schumacher said she is not opposed to it but agreed there may be a better route, one that doesn’t put more stress on Centre Street, which becomes the only access during special events such as the Muskoka Maple Festival.
In the end, Councillors directed staff to look into the issue and the possibility of access to other routes in consultation with other communities, organizations as well as the OPP.
Related:
Committee to hear petition for ATV access through Huntsville
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I am in full support of all licensed vehicle drivers being allowed to drive insured and licensed ATVs and Side by Sides on Huntsville streets with the understanding that all laws that apply to cars, trucks, and motorcycles apply to the ATVs and Side by Sides. Many communities allow this currently. As a licensed driver for 45 years, a licensed motorcyclist, an ATV owner and a person who has driven a side by side many times I believe they are as safe, if not safer than motorcycles, and the various scooters I currently see on the town roads now. Enforcement of current laws should address the irresponsible owners who disobey laws, no different than is currently the case with irresponsible drivers now. There is no need to penalize responsible ATV, and side by side owners for the small minority who potentially would drive irresponsibly on a town street. The bottom line for me is cars and motorcycles are allowed on town streets, even though there are those who are not responsible drivers or drive vehicles with modified, loud mufflers. Let’s allow responsible, licensed and insured drivers of all terrain vehicles and side by sides on our town roads.
A visual comic came to mind when I read council was considering using town streets for ATVs to get around.
The comic….Overpasses over the town strictly for ATVs and deer.
Humour!
It’s going to be interesting to see how the council handles all the inevitable complaints and issues that will arise if they approve this request. To actually even think about approving this is the height of stupidity. Give your head a shake.
Thanks to Brian Tapley for his comment. I would like to add that the first ATVs were designed for and used by farmers in Japan to do their work. They can be helpful equipment but not meant to be driven at road speeds for safety reasons. I am glad council is consulting with the OPP about the road rules and whether they are willing and able to add this responsibility to their other crime fighting responsibilities.
I don’t find myself particularly for or against this petition, just interested. It is certainly another of those times where our council will be tested again. Hell! We got them (ATV’s) out our way and I’m willing to share some with the downtown. Take the pressure off the countryside.
I find it interesting that the petitioner felt the urge to drive ‘trails’ in Brunel. Trails that are inaccessible to him unless he can travel on down-town streets. With all the trails in all the townships in all the district, Brunel is the place to ride! And by riding the available trails, most people know you can get to that trail Valhalla known as Brunel. But you have to ride the trails! I am very fond of the trails of Brunel, having been raised there and walking or biking a lot of them.
I don’t think there is an ATV manufacturer that recommends or even suggests you should operate their ATV on paved streets and roads. By design they are off-road machines. Dirt grabbing, mud sucking tires. A higher center of gravity that renders them top-heavy. Tippy at high speed but with much better boulder and stump clearance. Which I hope isn’t a downtown problem; though you can never be sure.
I particularly like the bit where their speed on the streets should be half the posted limit. Now that’s funny. Just imagine having to follow along from the Center Street bridge to the ‘trail’ into the liquor or beer store. At half the posted speed. With a line of like minded people behind. And who does all the policing? Bylaw on bicycles?
As far as the council goes, I’m sure it will be a ‘majority’ consensus one way or the other as per usual. Another episode in the continuing saga of our town. So, where is the smart money going and don’t you wish someone could sell tickets?
Just a thought.
Allowing the town to become a thoroughfare for ATV riders is a bad idea for a number of reasons! The amount of vehicle traffic in town has and will continue to increase dramatically as more people move into our community; ATVs will be an unnecessary addition to traffic volume. We already have enough noisy vehicles tooling through town and don’t need any additional noise pollution! As Wes Hawkins has alluded to: ATV access into town might well lead to bad behaviour by some riders! The town should hold a public meeting where people can express their concerns about this matter!
In the beginning we let manufacturers import and sell over 300,000 ATV’s in the 70’s and then realized that we had no legal place to use them. This seemed to come as a revelation to our government after about 10 years of importing and selling the things by a variety of dealers.
The reverse logic used was “well they sold it to me so it must be legal to use”. Eventually the route of least resistance and most profit was followed and we now have the things everywhere.
Hey! I even have one, but I don’t think we have ever taken it off our property and mostly it carries tools and building supplies from one place to another or tows things about. I’d hardly qualify it as a “sport” the way we use it.
I don’t mind them, they have a use and place I just wish that the things were quieter, that they followed (even tenuously) the traffic rules and that they stayed on land where they are allowed. This way the environmental devastation they cause when used as a sport item would at least be, perhaps, on land owned by people who make some living off the things.
The government, as you can see by how they first handled the introduction of these things, has used the “safety” card to the max so that they can tax and license these ATV’s (like most things) as that is what governments do. If there is one thing you can count on it is that governments will look at any source of income they can find and use it all.
The other thing they do is distance themselves from all responsibility in any way they can figure out.
Thus, I’m wondering if you let ATV’s pass through a built up area like the town. Who is going to try to control them for speed, noise, traffic rules, registration and insurance rules and make sure (somehow) that the operators of these things can figure out which roads they can go on and which are off limits.
I’m wondering who is going to collect them if they mistakenly go off onto streets and property that they are not allowed to go on?
Who is going to make repairs and restitution to land owners who have their property damaged by trespassing ATV’s?
Who is going to decide how much noise is “too much” and what are they going to do about it? I’ve observed that some ATV’s, motorcycles and sports cars make more noise than a fully loaded gravel truck carrying 30 tons of material. If you foolishly ask the police to do anything they will show up days later, can’t find the offender and tell you they can’t do anything about noise anyway as they have no way to measure it and compare it to some standard. That is what they say about boats at least.
Most ATV users are fine people who try to follow whatever rules there are. Some do not care. Some are lost and make mistakes and a few are just out there to raise hell. Good luck with this project because once the town opens this box they are going to have to try to figure this out so it works for everyone.
I’m astounded Council would even entertain this foolish notion. Be wise and keep that door closed..ATV’s downtown; not a good idea for so many reasons.
If there were only responsible riders like this 74 yr old rider using town streets to access trails on the other side of Brunel, this would be feasible. The fact of the matter is the council would be opening up the town to all riders including those causing disturbances, damage and safety issues. Unfortunately our council usually caters to small special interest groups rather than listening to the majority.
Council is ignoring the recommendations of the atv industry, every government agency, the healthcare system,transport Canada, and basically every piece of data published.
I can’t believe that they are totally ignoring the general public in this town once again with no input from us.
What is wrong with this council?
A bunch of amateur’s pretending to be responsible leaders.