Inuvik Mayor Clarence Wood is asking residents to keep their all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) off the Boot Lake Trail, but says he's prepared to enforce it with a bylaw if the few bad apples who are tearing up the trail don't comply.
Noting that the town issued a series of reminders last fall to ATV drivers about safe operation and restrictions on where the vehicles can be driven in town, Wood said the vast majority of ATV users have respected the town's request. It's just a few individuals continuing to cause problems.
"I will say, for the most part, people have listened," the mayor said. "The vast majority of ATVs being operated in the town are following the rules. I think people are being responsible. It's just a few that aren't. Unfortunately, they give the rest a bad name."
Wood said the town has contacted the GNWT about its concerns with misuse of the trail SA国际影视传媒� which is the northernmost branch of the Trans-Canada Trail SA国际影视传媒� and would be following up to review the rules around ATV use on the trail.
The mayor said he expects to have discussions with the territorial government and local user groups in an upcoming meeting.
Signs forbidding the use of ATVs on Boot Lake Trail are being posted on either side of the trail as well. Wood said the damage is not only a problem of esthetics but also a matter of public safety.
"To put it very bluntly, " he said, "people should realize these are walking trails. They are not ATV trails. ATVs on there are dangerous to the public. They tear up the trails and they end up costing the taxpayer a lot of money, in addition to the possibility of someone getting seriously hurt.
"We've had reports of people almost being run over by people on ATVs on these walking trails."
The fact some ATVs were putting others at risk escalates how big of a priority the problem is for the town, he noted.
Town council reviewed the issue during a recent committee of the whole meeting. Wood said the municipality is prepared to go as far as a full bylaw, making it illegal to be on the trail with an all-terrain vehicle.
"We can always repair a trail, but we can't repair someone who gets run over," he said.
