From what I understand, the proposal sections the forest and limits motorized use to pretty much just double-track (access trails).
That will, of course, not be acceptable, since that will eliminate trail riding... but the Cobourg Mayor Peter Delanty is saying that the "dirt bike people don't want to compromise at all" - quite misleading!
First, like I said above, trail riding takes place on the single-track, not access roads. The OFTR has offered to put signs on all trails, be stewards of the forest and work with the forestry to avoid eroded areas on an on-going basis, not a one-time basis.
Second, he's implying that a compromise has been suggested, i.e. the trails left after this would be reasonable compared to what it was before. That would be called a "compromise". However, the currently proposed 90% reduction in single-track trails is not a compromise.
Third - electric dirt bikes are already in the stores and no doubt will be more pervasive in the next few years - at that point a dirt bike is not much more than a bicycle. Will there by another commission to give them access everywhere again? Ye
ah - right! Way to go - thinking far in the future, folks!
Lastly, he's (purposefully ?) confusing trail bikes with ATVs and sleds. Again, trail bikes thrive on the single-track, deep in the forest, i.e. trails that ATVs and sleds couldn't care less about.
And, by cramming trail riders in less trails, the overuse of these remaining trails will not benefit the forest - but that's obvious to anyone, really. What's not that obvious is that by limiting the trail riders, they're basically pushing away the one organized group that is inclined to help steward the forest - for example in the Simcoe County!
If the issues are indeed noise and pollution - there should be limits on noise and pollution, of course - not on all usage (i.e. restrict trail usage).
See more details about dirt bike riding in Northumberland Forest.
Get some education about trail riders in one of these places:
- OFTR
- The local club - here you can learn how they got $26,000 in donations for the local hospital - talk about involvement
More facts, from the comission's research:
- 8% of forest users are dirt bike riders (easy to pick on them, eh?)
- 92% of forest users say that quality of the trails is GREAT or OK.
- 52% of adjacent residents using the forest are motorized (ATV/dirt bike/sled)
- 3 out of 19 complain about noise
- 4 out of 19 would restrict nearby trails to motorized use
- 75% would not restrict anything
There's (as of right now) 1,274 signatures on the petition.
Given these facts - what are basis of the severe restrictions proposed on the trail riders? I mean it's obvious it's easy to pick on them, mayor - but is there any other reason?
