Owners of All-Terrain Vehicles who insist on tearing up snowmobile trails in the Garson-Falconbridge, Coniston and Wahnapitae regions of Greater Sudbury should be warned there's going to be a big increase in police presence.
That was promised by Chief Ian Davidson after another Community Safety Forum was held at the Colonial Inn in Coniston earlier this week.
In preparing a Rural Community-Based Policing initiative, Davidson and other senior officers are holding public forums in different communities that make up Greater Sudbury.
Several forums have already been held and several more are planned over the next few weeks.
At the Coniston meeting, a group of one dozen men showed up to discuss policing issues in the Coniston and Wahnapitae areas and almost all the discussion focused on ATV owners tearing up snowmobile trails across the area.
Several volunteers complained not only about ATV owners tearing up trails, but also trespassing on private property. Other citizens complained about the lack of police presence on the trails.
At the end of a lively meeting, Davidson promised something would be done about the situation.
"We will be increasing enforcement," said Davidson. "This meeting was a perfect example of inviting regular citizens to come out and voice their concerns.
"It's obvious a big concern out here in Coniston and Wahnapitae is ATV owners tearing up trails. We've listened to those concerns, our traffic management sergeant (Gary Lavoie) has listed all those concerns and we will be taking action."
The day after the Coniston meeting, police issued a press release from the police stating there will be a crackdown on ATVers who break the law.
There are laws in existence for these types of vehicles pertaining to permits, speeds, locations, equipment requirements and ages and all operators / owners are responsible for ensuring they know and follow these laws.
There are no by-laws in existence within the City of Greater Sudbury which allows an ATV to travel on any highway, which includes a common and public highway, street, avenue, parkway, driveway, square, place, bridge, viaduct or trestle.
In other words, you cannot operate an ATV unless you're on your property or Crown Land.
Operators are not permitted to travel on the Sudbury Trail Plan or on railway property and all ATV's must be plated and insured and operators must wear helmets at all times.
Lloyd Myllenen, president of the Broder Dill Snowmobile Club and governor for this region in the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, said long stretches of the local trail system are being destroyed by inconsiderate ATV owners.
"We're losing our trails," he said.
Davidson told the group these public forums are about voicing concerns and reiterated police presence will be stepped up in these areas and ATV owners who break the law will be targeted, charged and face stiff fines.
Lavoie told the gathering there are 32 volunteer trail officers trained by the police service and many will join officers to increase patrols in the Coniston area.
