The mayor of Inuvik says the town is winning its battle against illegal ATV use but now needs to protect a popular trail.
In September, the town warned residents about the dangers of driving underage or without a helmet.
At the time, Mayor Clarence Wood said that while he had noticed a couple dozen ATVs on the road, only three of them were registered with the town.
“We understand that ATV riding is a popular recreational activity, but it is essential to strike a balance between enjoying this pastime and respecting the safety of our community members,” Wood wrote in last year’s notice.
ATVs, or all-terrain vehicles, have been a cause of concern in the community for years. In extreme cases, they have been involved in fatal accidents.
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Inuvik recently ran an awareness campaign while pledging to impose penalties on unlawful drivers. Wood believes that has resulted in a significant increase in registrations and a “marked reduction in the number of illegal drivers or illegal ATVs.”
“I think what we did worked. There’s still a few, but nothing like there used to be. So I am quite happy with the success year to year,” he told Cabin Radio this week.
Despite that, Inuvik’s Boot Lake Trail – which isn’t designed for ATVs – is still being damaged, the mayor said.
Drivers “are tearing up the trail, creating deep ruts in different places and basically endangering the walkers on the trail, who are almost getting hit,” said Wood.
“We’re concerned with safety, number one. So what we’ve done – or are doing – at the bridge is putting a barrier up to restrict use of ATVs or deny them entry across the bridge, while still allowing the use of strollers for the public. So hopefully this will solve a lot of the problems there.”
In the meantime, he said, the town’s bylaw officers are working with RCMP to keep an eye out for unsafe drivers.
