MANITOULIN—A representative of Manitoulin Snowdusters Snowmobile Club has made it clear that the group will never participate in a memorandum of understanding between the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) and the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs (OFATV) involving trails.
“We’re not part of that and we will never go for that,” stated Al Davy, vice-president of the Snowdusters. “This agreement (between OFSC and OFATV) is mostly for southern Ontario. As vice-president of the Snowdusters I can say that we will never, ever, join in this agreement. That is the Snowdusters’ position.”
“We have made it clear to the Sudbury Trail Plan that this will never fly here. That is the Snowdusters position and if it is ever forced on us, I’m sure everyone in the Snowdusters would quit,” said Mr. Davy.
Mr. Davy explained, “you have to realize we have 300-plus private landowners that let us use their property for our trails, which is equal to all those from the Sudbury-North Bay area. A big shout out of thanks to all the landowners on Manitoulin Island that allow us to use their property for trails.”
On November 30, the OFSC and the OFATV announced an historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the province’s two largest recreational trail organizations. “The first of its kind MOU solidifies a cooperative new approach in organized powersports with the goals to foster the protection, sustainability and growth of motorized recreational trails. The MOU will significantly benefit each federation, their clubs, volunteers, landowners, and trail users, as well as countless trail-connected communities and tourism businesses across Ontario,” a release explains.
“Through these formal cooperative efforts, we will be able to leverage our collective communities to amplify messaging and strengthen our efforts to combat off-trail riding, trespassing, and seasonal trail usage,” said Ryan Eickmeier, OFSC chief executive officer. “Where shared trails exist, the ability for our respective clubs to work together to build trail and infrastructure is also a definitive win for both organizations,” said Mr. Eickmeier.
“With the incredible rise in popularity of powersports in Ontario, this MOU provides an unprecedented opportunity to contribute to the growth of clubs and experience for trail users as well as the integrity of shared trails,” said Shari Black, OFATV executive director. “Moving forward, riders and clubs in Ontario will benefit from our collaborative approach to working together to encourage the growth of tourism and support the sustainability of our natural resources.”
“Through the MOU, the OFSC and OFATV seek to develop inter-club alignment and collaboration, and where applicable, explore opportunities to share infrastructure and trail maintenance for more cost effective and efficient operations. While leveraging their respective economic and community impacts to increase support from municipal, provincial and federal government, the federations will proactively partner on government grant and funding opportunities. They will also develop and promote common themes in their respective messaging around safety, seasonal trail usage, trespassing, off-trail riding and respecting landowners,” the release explains.
“The OFSC and OFATV recognize that many motorized recreational trail users share mutual and overlapping interests as owners of both snowmobiles and ATVs, using snowmobile trails when they are available in the winter and ATV trails that open in the other seasons. This new MOU will build on these commonalities to strengthen organized powersports and secure the future of motorized recreational trails in Ontario,” the release adds.
