FYI (For your information)

June 18, 2009 · Filed under City of Kawartha Lakes

Currently, ATV’s are not permitted to drive on any roads south of Glenarm Road (Kawartha Road 8), and then it is only to gain access to designated trails. (This road is west of Fenelon Falls).

To help prevent future legislative change enabling ATV’s to drive on our roads, please click the link on the right and sign our ‘NO ATV’s online petition”.

For your information, here is a list of ‘ATV Rules of the road’ within City of Kawartha Lakes

  • ATV’s cannot drive on ANY roads south of Glenarm Rd. (Kawartha Road 8).  In so doing, they can be charged under the Highway Traffic Act.
  • Only with the consent of the landowner, can ATV’s  be legally driven on private property
  • Without the above, ATV’s are allowed only on designated trails (see local routes listed at http://www.kawarthaatv.com).
  • All ATV drivers / riders must wear helmets
  • Many snowmobile trails are NOT open for ATV usage
  • Currently, youth between 12 & 16 can ride the designated trail system only if accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.
  • ATV drivers must have a G2 (or greater) driver’s licence to cross a roadway. NOTE: for areas that have passed a bylaw allowing ATV’s on their roadways, the ATV driver must have a valid drivers licence

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Please Sign Online

June 16, 2009 · Filed under Regarding our Online Petition

We need your signatures to help us prevent the opening of our roads here in the southern portion City of Kawartha Lakes to ATV traffic. It is still illegal for ATV’s to drive on the roadways South of Lindsay.

Please sign the petition online to prevent council from changing this law. Your voice matters!

If you are unhappy with council’s vote to open up our roadways in the northern section of Kawartha Lakes, please sign the petition – and make comments. Also, it is always recommended to contact your council member and / or Mayor McGee.

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Peace in the Valley!

June 7, 2009 · Filed under City of Kawartha Lakes

To the Mayor and councillors of  City of Kawartha Lakes,  please consider long and hard about changing the bylaw to allow ATV’s on our roadways.  Here at Devil’s Elbow the sound liiterally echos through our residential subdivion when a pack of these ATVer’s decide to do an illegal cruise on our roads.   

We want peace in our valley.  Further law enforcement would be appreciated.

As for those of you reading this blog, I encourage you to contact city council to vote “NO” to ATV’s on our roads!

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OMA – urging children banned from ATV use

September 3, 2009 · Filed under Further Opposition

Doctors’ group wants ban on children operating ATVs
Updated: Wed Sep. 02 2009 3:12:42 PM

The Canadian Press
TORONTO — The Ontario Medical Association is urging that children under the age of 14 be banned from operating all-terrain vehicles.
The doctors’ group issued a position paper Wednesday that says youth aged 14 to 16 should only be permitted to ride ATVs that cannot exceed 30 kilometres an hour.
It also calls for those aged 14 to 18 who want to operate an ATV to have a special learner’s permit.
In addition, the association recommends that any legislation dealing with ATVs ensure that provisions involving children apply to both public and private property.
The OMA says more than 5,500 Ontario residents went to emergency departments in 2005-06 with an ATV-related injury.
The association also recommends that advertising of ATVs for use by children be prohibited, and finally, it wants government-approved helmets to be compulsory for ATV users.
“As physicians, we are seeing far too many children with serious injuries caused by the use of ATVs,” Dr. Suzanne Strasberg, president of the OMA, said in a statement.
“Ontario’s doctors firmly believe that there is nothing more important than protecting the health and safety of children in the province.”

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This was another letter to the Editor . . .

June 9, 2009 · Filed under Anti ATV? Your Editorials

(Are you listening out there?)……

Having read the 4 articles (Kawartha Lakes This Week) written in support of ATV use, it’s clear to me that none of you have been terrorized by hoards of ATV’s in your neighbourhood.  We love nature, walking trails and peace and quiet.  Within the past 3 years ATV use on our residential streets and nature trails has gotten completely out of control!  We get convoys of 7 or more at a time and over 50 in an afternoon.  This is not just a buzz for a few seconds.  It was amusing that you wrote about hearing bird calls!  The noise is so loud you can’t carry on a conversation while they pass, let alone hearing bird calls!

 It’s typical of the ATV attitude of entitlement.  It’s not us destroying your way of life; it’s you entering our neighbourhoods with your noise toys destroying ours. 

 Go play in your own back yard!

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How sweet it was!

June 7, 2009 · Filed under Anti ATV? Your Editorials

Got a letter to the editor you want posted…..

When we looked for a new home back in the 90’s we, like everyone else making our most important investment, did our homework. We did not buy close to a major road, due to noise and air pollution. We also did not buy on waterfront because of potential zooming of sea-doos, noisy power-boats and partying cottagers. Instead, we bought in the beautiful Bethany area with great walking and hiking right at our door. There were (and are) snowmobilers in the area, but their noise is muted by our closed winter windows, and only lasts as long as the snow does. The ATV’s however are able to annoy us 12 months a year. Why are they annoying you ask? Let me count the ways! Clouds of dust and stinking exhaust, ruts and puddles left in the trails, noise scaring off the four-legged and winged creatures, destruction of private property and they always seem to travel in packs of two to fifty-two! For the ATV enthusiast claiming how pleasurable “nature” is…I suggest that you save some money and buy a good pair of walking shoes, hiking boots, or a bicycle. Then you can really enjoy nature while reducing your carbon footprint. You may be surprised how pleasant it is, how good it makes you feel, and if you do enough of it, how much better your clothes fit. Who knows, you might even live longer!

Signed, A true nature lover

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