a precedent setting issue has reared it's ugly head..be afraid..be very afraid...

[the wolfman]

I live and work in Dwight Ontario. I don't trail ride much, restricting my sled rides to 500 ft at a time. But I do make my living from you hearty bred that stops for fuel or limp into the yard with issues in the middle of your ride. We both face an issue that may effect our winter.

A local @&*$% that at this point will remain un-named has taken on a snowmobile Jihad ( no offense to our Muslim friends, but the best way to describe it) and has imposed, through the MTO a stop to grooming activities by the club in all road allowances beside the highway. This means NO GROOMED TRAILS BESIDE THE 60/35 LANES.

Apparently the law his on his side, and on Saturday the groomer WAS stopped and turned around while performing his duties.

Can you imagine what the implications are to the sport? What about safety? Imagine coming of the bush trail and having to scale a 4ft plow bank to cross the highway? Sleds are still allowed to ride the ditch trails , but after a busy day or two, without grooming your suspension won't be much more effective than what I had in my '72 TnT, if get my meaning.

The economics of the situation will also resound as the trails become more dis-jointed and harder to ride, as many may, or probably will ride in other areas ( Quebec, UP, etc) causing ONTARIO resorts , suppliers and service facilities (thats me) to suffer a further down turn in seasonal revenue.

I emphesized Ontario because .....MTO covers all Ontario..and if this sticks here in Dwight, it will apply to ALL Ontario trails. Then what?

All because some wanker has too much time on his hands.. in the meantime, I urge other club leaders to ask for themselves

(call MTO)and ask if this is the wave of the future, and if so rally together and confront the cushy offices of Tourism, Northern Development, and their local Gov.com trough attendant to get these rules ammended before the sport that made Ontario a viable business oppurtunity in winter dies off because of a little know policy exploited by a bored lonely old man...

I

[revrnd]

I guess your "friend" wouldn't like some of the trails in northern Ontario where rather than build a snowmbile bridge, traffic jumps up to the highway, crosses the bridge then returns to the ditch.

Is the person in question a public servant or private citizen? What's their issue, the groomed trail across their driveway?

[sledjunk]

Has / can your local club get any assistance through the OFSC's contacts with Tourism Ontario, etc? Please keep us informed as this progresses as, like you said, this could affect many clubs in many areas.

[theedge]

we were in Dwight a year ago stayed at a motel for 5 days. We crossed the road to a trail beside the road that went out of town and also up the highway to gas, food etc. Is this what this refers to ???

I hope not as it was rough enough after a week with the groomer down. I can't imagine all winter

That will certainly hurt the businesses along there that depend on snowmobiling

[the wolfman]

The local club is in talks with the MTO from what I understand but its the 'ol "rules are rules" thing... and in response to the Rev,, the trail is across the highway from his shack, no crossing . I'll keep all posted as news dribbles in..

[revrnd]

Sounds like someone w/ a axe to grind. Nothing better to do than stir the pot, more so if the implied offence doesn't even directly affect them.

[Canuck]

The new OFSC ad references 'organized' trails so riders don't meander (sp?)

Isn't it in everyone's best interests to keep snowmobiles on this path?

(everyone except one chap across the street ?)

[SlowTouringGuy]

It's ok, Canuck; you cleared MonkeySP v3.1 Well done !

[Turbo Doo]

Thats too bad, always someone out there with a hate on..

[SlowTouringGuy]

This is really ugly. Hopefully (really hopefully) because it seems to be launched by someone, as said here, with a hate on that, whilst it may hold in Dwight, cooler heads will prevail in other areas. I would hope that the MTO isn't going to "go looking" for other transgressions. But they may be forced to follow the rule is a rule in this instance.

In my day it was a lot easier - we just put out a contract.

[irREVerent]

The local club is in talks with the MTO from what I understand but its the 'ol "rules are rules" thing... and in response to the Rev,, the trail is across the highway from his shack, no crossing . I'll keep all posted as news dribbles in..

I've heard about this directly from a reliable local source...apparently there will be no grooming of MSR Trail # 77 between Dwight Beach and the junction with D101B at the bridge over the Oxtongue River, as a result of this idiot's complaints to MTO.

Wolfman, why are you protecting this guy's identity??? He's been named in the local papers and has appeared in front of LOB Township Council with his complaints about that trail.

[blue er]

I would like to know witch law is getting broken?

time to get the viking out and the bed springs

[Canadoo]

I would like to know witch law is getting broken?

time to get the viking out and the bed springs

grooming of a trail in the Highway right of way can only be done under an encroachment or land use permit from the Ministry of Transportation.

Id say most clubs dont have these encroachment permits. This is only an issue because of a local complaint.

If they can get the proper permit, back in business on that trail.

[Running Wild]

Slightly off topic but I think a year or so ago a groomer operator was charged by the OPP for driving the groomer on the shoulder of the road south of Parry Sound. May have had something to do with lugs on pavement. I don't know the details, but Wild Bill does and maybe he could fill us in or correct me if I'm wrong.

RW

[blue er]

grooming of a trail in the Highway right of way can only be done under an encroachment or land use permit from the Ministry of Transportation.

Id say most clubs dont have these encroachment permits. This is only an issue because of a local complaint.

If they can get the proper permit, back in business on that trail.

thanks never thought they would need that, guess there's a law for everything

[Lep]

Pretty soon there will be a bylaw for taking a $hit....Pretty sad...U guys need to speak to to your town office and get it worked out,there shouldn't be any problems just get the paper trail happening and I am sure it will all go away.Once the boys in blue know its all good U will get the wave I hope.

Btw that problem can be moved....

[Viperules700]

Yeah really stupid too. Now ofsc will have to purchase 100 permits across Ontario. Crazy non sense I tell yeah.

[sledjunk]

Slightly off topic but I think a year or so ago a groomer operator was charged by the OPP for driving the groomer on the shoulder of the road south of Parry Sound. May have had something to do with lugs on pavement. I don't know the details, but Wild Bill does and maybe he could fill us in or correct me if I'm wrong.

RW

I seem to remember that was related to running lugs on pavement.

[the wolfman]

I've heard about this directly from a reliable local source...apparently there will be no grooming of MSR Trail # 77 between Dwight Beach and the junction with D101B at the bridge over the Oxtongue River, as a result of this idiot's complaints to MTO.

Wolfman, why are you protecting this guy's identity??? He's been named in the local papers and has appeared in front of LOB Township Council with his complaints about that trail.

It's not that I an trying to protect this guy by not pointing a finger at him, it's common knowledge around here anyway. The point of the post was to alert other club members of what may very well become a problem across Ontario because of one doughhead. It's hard enough for the clubs to maintane a trail system without having re-map it all.

[4mysled]

It should be more than snowmobilers that are upset. Local businesses, such as wolfman, and others. The trickly down affect if you will. When I ride in different areas I always try to support the local businesses, gas for the sled, gas for the truck, lunches, dinners snacks. Its funny I have had conversations with people in popular snowmobiling areas that say that are not affected by the tourism dollars that snowmobiling brings in. In this particular case was an automotive mechani. It took me about 15 min. or so to explain the trickle down affect, but he finally got my point, but some people just don't listen.

[sledjunk]

I can see where it becomes a little less obvious to some businesses because they do not see a sled stopping outside their door. However, you are correct about the trickle down effect. It may even be a remote to them as just affecting the tax base, but it is still a benefit.

[revrnd]

He's been named in the local papers and has appeared in front of LOB Township Council with his complaints about that trail.

Any links to the articles or a scan?

[irREVerent]

It's not that I an trying to protect this guy by not pointing a finger at him, it's common knowledge around here anyway. The point of the post was to alert other club members of what may very well become a problem across Ontario because of one doughhead. It's hard enough for the clubs to maintane a trail system without having re-map it all.

OK, thanks for the explanation...and good on you for providing that warning to the OC community, so thanks for that, too.

It just seemed as though you were reluctant to identify him...from what I've heard, he's openly proud of having thwarted efforts by both the club and the municipality to maintain the grooming of that trail through Dwight -- including ongoing threats of further legal action if MTO doesn't toe the line on this -- so there didn't seem to be anything to be gained by "protecting" his identity.

Anyway, the really sad part is that, as 4mysled and sledjunk noted above, many Dwight businesses are likely to be affected...not just those directly related to sledding. This guy is apparently not hurting for money, so personally doesn't give a sh*t about that...even though he lives in Dwight and owns a bunch of property in the community!

[revrnd]

Any links to the articles or a scan?

I'm not real familiar w/ the stretch of 60 east of Dwight, but do recall seing some residences that looked like Green Acres. Maybe the club could use the tractor to push the establishment into the bush. No need for tourists to have to look @ that mess on their way to Algonquin. Kind of like the welcome you get in Apsley from the south end when you drive along Hwy 28.

[irREVerent]

Any links to the articles or a scan?

Not at my fingertips, revrnd...it was sometime in the late fall that I first saw an article about this, in a local Muskoka weekly called "The Weekender". as I recall, there was also some coverage in the local Huntsville weekly, called "The Huntsville Forester". I'll enlist the help of my friend Google and see if i can find any links.