ATVs denied trail access by province

All-terrain vehicles will continue to be denied access tothe Confederation Trail, theP.E.I. Tourism Departmenthas decided.

For about 10 years, the PEI ATV Federation has been trying to obtain limited access between properties where they ride, said group president Greg Myers.

"The provincial government has denied us access to any portion of the Confederation Trail as it stands, with the possibility somewhere down the road we may have portions opened up to connect part of the club links. But at this time it's fully shut down to us," said Myers.

The group told the province it was willing to impose speed limits and put voluntary trail officers in place at its own cost, said Myers.

Paul Wilbert, a member of the ATV Federation, spends a lot of time in New Brunswick where the trails are open to ATVs.

"The snowmobiles use them in the winter time. And I think rural P.E.I. should be opened up especially because there's portions of trails where you will not see any hikers."

Wilbert saidATV access to the trails would boost tourism.

But Tourism Minister Rob Henderson disagrees.

"The compatibility of motorized vehicles on the Confederation Trail during the summer is just probably not conducive to a successful tourism industry. So we want to try to keep that segregation there to that degree."

The tourism department said it's willing to help the federation find a solution.

The ATV Federation and the government will hold a public forum to discuss the issue Sept. 5 at the Alberton Fire Hall at 7 p.m.

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