ATVers have another reason to get revved up for the season.
When the ATV trails open, some Timmins streets will be open to off-road vehicles. Yesterday (April 16) Timmins council approved a bylaw to allow ATV access to some west-end streets to get to trails and services such as gas stations or restaurants.
The bylaw has been more than four years of hard work for Rick Marin, the president of the Timmins ATV Club.
“Cochrane is the biggest snowmobile destination, I want Timmins to be the biggest ATV destination. That’s what I want, but there’s a lot of work behind it — a ton,” he said the morning after the meeting.
The change is similar to how the snowmobile club phased in a program to allow sleds to access to certain streets.
For ATVs, the first streets to open up to them are Dalton Road, and west of Shirley Street.
The bylaw applies to ATVs, utility terrain vehicles (UTV), recreational off highway vehicles (ROV), extreme terrain vehicles (XTV), and off-road motorcycles. There are also rules to follow. They are:
- ATVs are not allowed on roads from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- The speed limit on city roads is 20 km/h
- The driver must be at least 16 years old and have a valid driver's licence
- The ATV must have a valid permit from the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicles (OFATV)
- Access is only permitted when the local ATV trails are open
People not following the rules could be fined up to $1,000.
“Let’s support the club, let’s support the city, let’s buy a pass, let’s follow the rules and regulations. All the other towns around us all follow rules and regulations,” said Marin.
Typically, the Timmins-area ATV season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31. Depending on weather, Marin said it could start earlier or be extended.
Since the local club started selling passes, the membership has grown every year.
The first year, he said about a dozen were sold. The year after that, there were 25 members and last year over 105 trail passes were sold.
A couple of council members talked about the bylaw at the meeting.
Coun. Cory Robin noted that the club has worked with the city for years.
“Our city is made better by the champions in our community who give the time and energy to make it better,” he said.
One of the questions Coun. Andrew Marks had was about Timmins Police, who he said doesn't support the bylaw. Marks still voted in favour of it.
With the bylaw approved, Marin is looking forward to the perks.
“If I want to leave Kamiskotia and go to Esso to have food at the restaurant at Matty’s, I can do it now," he said. "We’re connected with Smooth Rock Falls, we’re connected with Kapuskasing, Folyet, Gogama, Matachewan area — if (people) want to come to town for the weekend, they are able to come all the way down to the restaurant and the motel."
Expect to see Marin back at the council table in October or November to talk about the next phase of the plan.
ATV passes are available online here. Keep up to date with what the Timmins club is doing here.
