ATVs and Dirt Bikes around Blue Jay Ridge and Forest Hill
Are they an annoyance or a pleasure? Join in...
NOTE: The Canaan Connexion is often contacted by members of our community when they are looking for information. We get calls from people moving into our area; people who voice their concerns about neighbourhood issues; people who want to advertise their services, and so on.
Over the past several months we have had several people talking to us about the rise in motorized-vehicle activity on our streets and local rural properties. We have heard a list of complaints:
- damage to private properties (breaking down fences, tearing up walking and farm paths, driving onto cultivated fields);
- cutting down trees and/or spray painting to mark trails;
- spraying gravel on paved roads as they whip around corners;
- driving on properties where they have no permission;
- driving in a wreckless manner ("popping wheelies" on Canaan Road)(one young person was observed going through two stop signs between Cardinal Crescent and Canaan Road, standing up on his ATV, driving with one hand, while using his cell phone in the other)
- driving on public roads without any license plates;
- creating noise with loud motors, several at a time, and at least one without an apparent muffler;
- creating concerns for parents of small children who play on our streets;
- we had one report of a break-in at a local rural building;
- and another report of one property owner being sued by an adjacent neighbour, for alleged damage that was caused,
when it was likely visiting snowmobiles or other motorized vehicles.
We are only voicing the concerns that have been passed on to us. We do not want to stop the fun that this sport offers, nor do we want to tar all ATV and dirt bike owners with the same brush, because there are so many who use their vehicles responsibly. We simply want to discourage the inappropriate use of these vehicles, and educate the younger drivers who are evidently at fault. Apparently some parents are not monitoring their kids.
As far as we can determine, there are no organized clubs in the immediate area. But take a look at what you would have to do if you were a member of the Ottawa Valley All Terrain Vehicle Club:
OVATVC Rules and Regulations
| Rule 1 | All club members must adhere to Ontario Provincal Law 316/03 in the operation of their ATV. |
| Rule 2 | All club members must ride in a socially and environmentally responsible
manner. - Stay on the trail ! - Respect private property. - Tread lightly: leave our beautiful wilderness as you found it for all to enjoy. |
| Rule 3 | All club members must operate their machine in the safest possible manner at all times. |
| Rule 4 | All club-sponsored runs are dry runs. There is NO TOLERANCE for alcohol or drugs while participating in the run. |
| Rule 5 | All riders are required to wear an orange vest or jacket and a DOT approved helmet while participating in the run. |
| Rule 6 | Each person will ride SINGLE FILE with no passing allowed. |
| Rule 7 | All members MUST HAVE registration (ownership) and valid insurance for their machine, and a valid driver's license. |
| Rule 8 | No club ride shall take place or continue without first assigning lead and tail riders who are in contact by radio. |
| Rule 9 | Headlights must be turned on while participating in a group ride. |
| Rule 10 | Each rider is responsible for staying in visual contact with the rider behind them while participating in a group ride. |
We recently received these two messages on our Canaan Message Centre:
1.
hello dear neighbours,
i wanted to let you know how dissappointed i am about the situation right now. Some of our neighbours keep complaining about us riding our fourwheelers and dirt bikes in this neighbourhodd. i Dont think they quite get it do they? were not doing anything wrong? were not vandalising anything nor are we causing trouble. i wanted to thanks the few who like to call the police all the time and ruin our fun. For those who do get it and dont mind,thank you for you cooperation. - signed "max"
2.
Patrick, we would like you to stop taking pictures of our region of this neigbourhood because we do not want to be harassed. If we need to, we will take action "call the cops" for harassement and stocking. thank you for your cooperation. :) - signed "max"
To which we replied:
Hi "max",
I am sorry you would not identify yourself, or leave an e-mail or phone number so that I could contact you to discuss.Taking the pictures was not meant to "harass", but to try and identify some of the irresponsible ATV and dirt bike drivers. If you were not one of them then I apologize.
We have concerns about:
- 1. those who driving on our private property behind our houses on Cardinal Crescent and tearing up our land. (Yes, it is private property. We own about 20 feet on the east side of the drainage ditch, which the township required for proper drainage of the development)
- 2. driving south on to the family property that is adjacent to Blue Jay Ridge... tearing up their walking paths, cutting down trees, marking paths with bright paint, and having a total disregard for the "No Trespassing" "No ATVs" signs which are clearly in place along the trail. (The family has put in a previous complaint to the OPP, and they have NOT given permission to anyone to drive ATVs and other motorized vehicles onto their property).
I will add more details and a link on the front page of this Website, very shortly.
Thanks for your comments.
Patrick Meikle
Editor - Canaan Connexion
We will continue this debate shortly...
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