Land Use Canada

Lem Lamb

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I know this has been discussed many times over the years by different folks, groups, snowmobilers, quads, side by side, utv, ect...

It would be nice to half the thread follow the path of more land use for all units to gain access to small cities and town limits so they can idle up the street for gas, then head out of town in the ditches "legally" to areas that are open to ride in,,, a few Provinces do not permit it here in Canada.

Many USA States allow use of atv's on public streets, and are backed up by over 300 plus organization wide, so this model "or some what" could be a tool that we as out door recreation folks "might" be able to use here. 22 States and 16 other allow parcel use.

So first thing first is to find out if something like this would work for you in your area, "where you ride."
What benefit would it do for you, or the negatives aspects that don't work in your area.

Kind of nice to know what "is" and "not" allowed across Canada by different groups coast to coast. I hope that those that chime in add to the thread in a positive way, and stay on track since there is a focus chat of finding out where land use issues are in each Province...

Please feel free to jump in with your happenings or what's going on in your neck of the woods if you like.

Pal Lem
 

Teth-Air

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I agree it should be this way but we are so brainwashed that sledding is a crime, I don't think anyone thinks it can be possible. The government must expect that if they gave us a little freedom we would all go crazy. Take a look at some other laws we have compared to places in the USA and around the world. e.g. in Las Vegas you can walk the streets with a drink in your hand. In Canada this is unheard of because it is expected we would all be drunk, partying and looting. We even ban alcohol in some campgrounds on long weekends because of the "bad apples" I guess no Canadian is mature enough to control themselves? Do your really see that masses out of control on the streets of Vegas? We are forced to wear helmets on our motorcycles because we are not smart enough to make our own decisions. We could have 2 insurance levels, one cost if you use your helmet and one if you choose not to. If you even talk of changing laws so we can ride in National Parks, even sledders will shout you down. In the USA they manage their parks more fairly and let a few sledders enjoy Yellowstone.

I've said it for years, you think we live in a free country but the restrictions here are stifling.
 

Rbrduk

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It weird in Dickson, you can ride a sled on the streets thru town but not a quad.
 

smokinD

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I know this has been discussed many times over the years by different folks, groups, snowmobilers, quads, side by side, utv, ect...

It would be nice to half the thread follow the path of more land use for all units to gain access to small cities and town limits so they can idle up the street for gas, then head out of town in the ditches "legally" to areas that are open to ride in,,, a few Provinces do not permit it here in Canada.

Many USA States allow use of atv's on public streets, and are backed up by over 300 plus organization wide, so this model "or some what" could be a tool that we as out door recreation folks "might" be able to use here. 22 States and 16 other allow parcel use.

So first thing first is to find out if something like this would work for you in your area, "where you ride."
What benefit would it do for you, or the negatives aspects that don't work in your area.

Kind of nice to know what "is" and "not" allowed across Canada by different groups coast to coast. I hope that those that chime in add to the thread in a positive way, and stay on track since there is a focus chat of finding out where land use issues are in each Province...

Please feel free to jump in with your happenings or what's going on in your neck of the woods if you like.

Pal Lem

If I could I would ride my Quad to work by pass all the chitty drivers for sure.
 

eclipse1966

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excellent post and agree. We have become somewhat of a police state in order to control less than 1% of the bad apples. 3 years ago took my family to the island of Santorini in Greece and instead of renting a car we rented quads for 20 euros a day. drove them legally anywhere with no issues. We just needed a valid drivers licence and they even recognized our Canadian licence. Try doing that in Canada. I was at the airport in Calgary a year ago and went to rent a car. A German business man beside me was losing his mind because he could not rent a car without an international drivers licence. Stupid.

I agree it should be this way but we are so brainwashed that sledding is a crime, I don't think anyone thinks it can be possible. The government must expect that if they gave us a little freedom we would all go crazy. Take a look at some other laws we have compared to places in the USA and around the world. e.g. in Las Vegas you can walk the streets with a drink in your hand. In Canada this is unheard of because it is expected we would all be drunk, partying and looting. We even ban alcohol in some campgrounds on long weekends because of the "bad apples" I guess no Canadian is mature enough to control themselves? Do your really see that masses out of control on the streets of Vegas? We are forced to wear helmets on our motorcycles because we are not smart enough to make our own decisions. We could have 2 insurance levels, one cost if you use your helmet and one if you choose not to. If you even talk of changing laws so we can ride in National Parks, even sledders will shout you down. In the USA they manage their parks more fairly and let a few sledders enjoy Yellowstone.

I've said it for years, you think we live in a free country but the restrictions here are stifling.
 

Lem Lamb

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Yes, all good points when we see other countries allow the use of quads and such, or snowmobiles depending on where we live,,, some sleds are allowed, but no quads. Other way around if they like quads and prevent sleds.
I'm in the Lacombe County Alberta Canada, and spent a few years riding my quad around this county with out any problems,,, County of Red Deer, Ponoka, and MD or Rocky Mt House Alberta CA. But now it is all shut down too even ride ditches,,, well most of them that is.

One would think we could stop at a registration board office and pick up a green sticker like in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and many other States and hit the roads and slow speed hwy's as well as drive in town to pick-up groceries,,, that is so long as you have head & tail lamps, signal lights, rear-view mirror,,, it is said that you are too have street legal tires/ jeep tires with mud flaps in some states.

It would be good to see how many folks in each area that might enjoy something like this in their own area, then expand from there. I see in our Lacombe Globe today that they want to restrict quads from all use on the lake and beaches since someone crossed one of the cross country ski trails... "Oh Boy." The thing that "might" of got it all started was some person West of Sylvan Lake Alberta went for a rip threw a farmers field, things went south after that.

I see it from both sides since I'm a town dude, but work on a farm through the year, so there is pros & cons to what we are up against if there is a chance to add quads & sleds to road-ways/ ditches and crossing ect...

Plan 1 is too find out who would like to enlarge/ prevent further closers, then see how we can fix what has happened by working with other groups to in-cress sponsor-ship as well as finding ways to promote user friendly routes and education to let others know what we do to make a all user friendly sport that everyone can participate in all year long on sleds & quads,,, here in Alberta at least,,, other Provinces as well across Canada.
 

Cdnfireman

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Gonna be an uphill push for most areas south of Edmonton or so (with the possible exception of the crowsnest). The riding areas are a long way from the population centres and the mountains/foothills areas are tightly under the control of the Eco-green-enviro crowd. Plus the media never shows the OHV community in a good way.
 

X-Treme

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Gonna be an uphill push for most areas south of Edmonton or so (with the possible exception of the crowsnest). The riding areas are a long way from the population centres and the mountains/foothills areas are tightly under the control of the Eco-green-enviro crowd. Plus the media never shows the OHV community in a good way.

Unfortunately, this isn't just the fault of the media. It's also (even moreso, I'd say) the fault of the OHV community. I'm going to make an example out of NOSatv's here.... This guy CONSTANTLY post up videos of he and his buddies tearing the chit out of the land, and then driving their atv's into a lake and washing them off (his words - time to wash the rides). This is just one of MANY examples of the OHV community looking terrible to the public. How on earth are we expected to be perceived as anything other than hooligans? We're our own worst enemies more than anything else out there.
 
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Lem Lamb

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Yuppers, thread idea is pretty much done with the many mud bogging videos on Youtube these days, and it would be hard to have folks follow the OHV rules little lone the road worthy green sticker allowance if a Province would ever consider taking on such a task.

Go to time and effort to have 2 or 3 bad examples that would revers the whole thing. This would be why the Big Horn area only has a few trails left open when we were able to go every where in 1977. Closers started in 2000 or 2001 if I re-call.

Would be nice to have ditch access, little lone gravel road sides to drive on, running to town for gas on hwy would most likely not work if a few would not follow the guide lines set by each town, county, and MD in home land Alberta.

The USA is pretty lucky to have a persons voice heard, and here in Canada we get shut down before we even get started... Seem strange that they could pull it off in so many States we struggle to keep what we have left open for atv & sled areas in Central Alberta.
 
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Danbot

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In my small Alberta town, we are allowed to ride our off highway machines out of, and back into town through the back alleys. They do let us cross roads and such to do so, but we are not supposed to ride on pavement or fill up at gas stations.
This by-law has been in danger of being revoked many times over the years, the average Joe just cannot make use of this privilege without abusing it somehow.
 

doorfx

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Every town except cold lake on the iron horse trail allows atv traffic on city streets. St. Paul has designated atv routes to hotels,restaurants and gas stations. Nordegg ab and the county allow ohv use on all county roads and streets.
 

Lem Lamb

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I'd run for office, but I'm to left wing. Ha Ha.

Next time I go to Nordegg, I'll see if they took the by-law sign down, I'm sure there was one at the entrance road into town,,, need to have a better look at it. They have no OHV signs at the mine sight that includes all personal vehicles.
North West corer of town has no OHV's signs to denture units from entering town from that side as you can see them form the road.

Didn't see any signs on the East side, but the gravel pit has a locked gate on it,,, trails were good on that side none the less with no signs too be seen.
 

doorfx

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The museum now has official trail maps in and out of town. SRD who checked my papers at the gas station said anywhere in the county but not the highway. Of course the mine is off limits as it is now a heritage site. They actually built an official trail around the gravel pit.
 

Bisch

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I feel the best way to encourage public sector authorities to do what we want is to form a PAC (Political Action Committee). Will require associations, dealers, manufacturers, riders, clubs and enthusiasts to come together.

Funding is key, a full time group and like lobbyists to gain traction and maintain pressure in the right areas.

Without an all in effort, I really don't see any change to what is occurring now.


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