Feature Article September 9, 2004
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Trail advocates seeking access to unused road allowances Addington Highlands Council meeting September 7By Jeff Green
Cindy Cassidy of the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance (EOTA) appeared before Addington Highlands Council this week, requesting, in conjunction with the Mazinaw-Powerline Snowmobile Club, that EOTA be given permission to use certain unused road allowances within the township for multi-purpose trails.
The road allowances being considered are ones that are connected to existing trails in AH, Hastings and North Frontenac.
What we are looking at are road allowances that link up existing trails on our network, and ones that will make new loops, Cindy Cassidy told Council.
EOTA has been heavily involved in an initiative called ATV Ontario, an initiative putting together packages including food and accommodation for ATV trail riders on a 700 km network of trails in Eastern Ontario. Although the EOTA trail network is a multi-use trail, used for hiking, horseback riding, bicycles, snowmobiles and ATVs, it is the ATVs that have the greatest tourism potential. According to Cassidy, an economic impact study done by EOTA projects that by having such a trail system in the area over a ten-year build out period, the economic and tourism benefits could be $45.8 million and the creation of 1659 jobs.
Addington Highlands is one of a handful of townships in Ontario that have enacted bylaws permitting the use of ATVs on township roads. Ironically, this makes permitting ATVs on unopened road allowances more complicated. Our bylaw does not allow ATVs on un-maintained roads said Reeve Ken Hook.
Undaunted, Cindy Cassidy said that EOTA would provide complete insurance coverage that would provide liability insurance. This would cover the township for EOTA permit holders and others who use the trails.
Id like to see proof in writing from your insurance carrier that non-permit holders will be covered, Reeve Hook told Cassidy, and she said she could do that. She then offered to prepare a draft agreement in short order for Councils consideration. This was acceptable to Council.
Other items
Fireworks complaint In response to a complaint and a request by Leo Wisnowski of Weslemkoon Lake, the question of whether a fireworks bylaw would be appropriate to deter incessant fireworks aficionados was briefly considered. Reeve Hook said there is a bylaw on the books limiting fireworks to three weekends each year. Mr. Wisnowskis correspondence noted a neighbour had set off fireworks on nine separate weekends. Apparently, it is the OPP and not the township bylaw officer that enforce the fireworks prohibition. Perhaps it should be communicated to Mr. Wisnowski that thats the route he would have to take, said township clerk Jack Pauhl.
Burn Barrel Fire chief Casey Cuddy mentioned he had been made aware of a number of instances where people had been using home incinerators, burn barrels, to burn prohibited items. The townships burn bylaw prohibits under any circumstances the burning of rubber, plastics, treated wood, or any material which could cause toxic or noxious gasses.
Cuddy wondered if Council wanted him to begin levying fines for burn barrel infractions, which would bring a fine in excess of $250. He said he would start off giving people a warning when he became aware of infractions and would bring in Ken Buxton, the bylaw officer, only on second offences.
Dumps at capacity the Waste Management Committee will be meeting on Friday at 10 am in Flinton with Michael Benson of the consulting firm Conestoga Rovers Associates to discuss options regarding the Denbigh and MacKavoy dump sites. The Denbigh site is over capacity and there will be a cost to the township to either close or extend the site. Benson sent a letter to the Ministry of the Environment on August 17 informing them of the meeting on September 10, and assuring them that the township views the above matters seriously and is pursuing resolution to the best of its ability.
