Significant recent snowfalls have sledding season in full gear, but there is a concern from city hall about riders disregarding the local bylaw in Timmins.
At Monday's council meeting, the city announced 'Snowmobile Week' which will take place from March 7-13.
It is an initiative of the Timmins Snowmobile Club, which in its letter to the mayor and council, said that its many volunteers have worked hard to 'create a network of trails and a snowmobile experience often described as one of the best in North America.'
The club also reports that tourists from Ontario, Quebec and the United States come to Timmins in winter months to enjoy the snow, which can be sparse in other regions.
A week of activities will be planned to showcase the leisure activity that many northerners enjoy.
Councillor Noella Rinaldo mentioned a bit of disappointment at how recently, she has seen riders in areas they don't belong.
“I did notice twice this weekend, snowmobiles in Hollinger Park, and a few other places, illegally,” she said.
Police Chief John Gauthier was not in attendance at the meeting, but Rinaldo did indirectly inquire about the possibility of increasing enforcement.
“The snowmobile club is the one that promotes healthy snowmobiling, these are very likely not members of the club. One of them I can almost guarantee was probably quite young and came completely right across Hollinger Park. I saw someone else come around the same way later that evening” said Rinaldo.
She realizes people were eager to get out on their sleds due to the late start, but hopes people understand there are laws to consider.
“We have to reinforce the rules of where they can and cannot go” she said.
Mayor Steve Black said his office has received a few calls regarding snowmobiles in restricted areas, but told Rinaldo that the police have a limited amount of patrolling officers, and most often the offenders have long fled the scene by the time they respond.
Timmins Police Corporate Communications Co-ordinator Kate Cantin told TimminsToday about some of the financial consequences that could occur if a rider is caught by police.
“The act of driving a snowmobile in a restricted area could be a contravention of two pieces of legislation – either the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act (Ontario) or the municipal by-law” she said.
“Under the MSVA the fine would range anywhere from $200 to a maximum of $1000. Under the municipal by-law the maximum fine would be $500” said Cantin.
The current municipal bylaw for snow vehciles was drafted in 1989 and passed by city council in 1990. It was amended in 1993.
According to the maps within the bylaw, snowmobiles are banned within all populated areas of the city, encompassing all built up areas of Timmins, Mountjoy, Schumacher, South Porcupine and Porcupine, with very few exceptions.
Essentially, riders are kept on the edges of the city.
Riders who do not own a trailer for transporting their snowmobiles are currently forced to break the law in order to reach the trails.
In November, city council debated the merits of allowing more streets to be opened up for trail access.
The Timmins Snowmobile Club, along with local ATV users, sent a letter to council requesting that each and every street in Timmins be opened up for recreational vehicles.
The idea was rejected unanimously by council and city officials.
The club has been asked to submit requests for certain streets, with specific reasoning behind them.
