ATV club seeking road access
The Central Ontario ATV Club is seeking permission to use Clearview Township roads to access trails and commercial areas.
Club director Soren Klemmensen made the request of council at its Jan. 25 meeting.
The club is hoping the township will pass a bylaw to open the roads, allowing ATVs to travel from trail to trail and get into urban areas to purchase fuel, visit restaurants and stores and find overnight accommodation.
The club is looking to develop a network of trails that will attract tourists to the area.
“We want to make sure we are building something that benefits the townships we pass through,” said Klemmensen.
Wasaga Beach opened its roads to ATVs in September and Klemmensen said opening Clearview is key to connecting already developed trail nodes.
With permission from a municipality, ATVs are permitted to travel on the shoulder, or on the side of the road where there isn’t one. The speed limit is 20 km/h in a regularly posted 50 km/h zone and a maximum speed of 50 km/h elsewhere.
Klemmensen said members consider themselves stewards of the trails and their role is to monitor, educate and report. The club has just under 300 members who purchase an annual $150 trail permit. Much like the Ontario Federation of Snowmobiles, trails are established through agreements with landowners.
Councillors agreed to explore the possibility of allowing ATVs on certain roads, as a starting point. Klemmensen said the club is ready to get into discussions about specific trail locations and staff has been directed to prepare a comprehensive report that will be used to communicate proposed routes to the public.
Councillors Deborah Bronée and Kevin Elwood said the bylaw could also benefit residents who use ATVs regularly for business and recreation.
“This is an opportunity to bring them into compliance,” said Bronée.
Councillor Connie Leishman said she is already hearing from residents who have concerns. She said there are people out there who don’t appreciate snowmobile traffic during the winter and now they would have to tolerate ATV traffic. She said many of Clearview’s roadways are used by cyclists and pedestrians and they are no match for ATVs.
Klemmensen said the club is aware that there are ATV riders who don’t follow the rules but they are not the people who are members of the club.
“We don’t like these people. We have as much trouble with them as you,” he said. “If people don’t follow the rules they are a problem.”
The club has trails within Simcoe County forests and is working with the county on a pilot project to improve enforcement using paid duty police officers.
The majority of councillors agreed to start by exploring limited ATV access rather than opening the roads completely.
“The initial year or two needs to be a bit more scoped,” said Councillor Shawn Davidson. “Rather than carte blanche.”
Clearview Township council wants to hear from residents before making a decision. They are in the process of setting up a process for public input.
“We need to hear from the public,” said Deputy Mayor Barry Burton. “It’s going to affect them so we need to hear from them.”
