New signs popping up on Collingwood trails has raised the eyebrows of some local hikers.
During Monday night’s corporate and community services standing committee meeting, councillors considered correspondence sent by a resident outlining her concerns with snowmobilers using the trail system on the west side of the Creekside subdivision, south of Sixth Street.
“This section of the trail system has been used in the past by snowmobilers and I see in the past week or so that seasonal snowmobile signage has been posted along this trail with speed limits, and directional arrow signs,” wrote Christianne Banfield in her letter to Mayor Brian Saunderson.
“I am surprised that snowmobiles are allowed on any part of the trail system and wonder if there is anything we can do to change this? Many people including myself walk dogs along this trail and it's getting more and more used now that more housing has been built just south of there on either side of High Street," she noted. “Having motorized vehicles on the trail system used by pedestrians can be very dangerous."
Banfield said she was aware there is a bylaw in Collingwood allowing snowmobile use of these trails, but asked if that still made sense with new homes being built in the area.
“I also realize that the town welcomes snowmobile riders to town and enjoys a tourism benefit from these visitors, but maybe there are safer routes that could be explored that don't involve the trails?”
Executive director of customer and corporate service Dean Collver said the town had received at least three other letters so far this year concerning the same issue, so he provided more information to councillors.
Collver said the town typically receives complaints yearly concerning snowmobilers.
“I will admit that over the past couple of years, they have become more concerned,” he said.
Collver went on to note that the town has worked closely with the Ontario Provincial Police and the Blue Mountain Snowdrifters overseen by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) to come up with improvements to safety on the trails.
“A lot of people don’t know or remember that the Collingwood trails were actually initially established to support the movement of snowmobiles way back in the day,” said Collver. “They provide access for the trails to get out to the county (of Simcoe) network.
“We’re struggling a little bit with what I would call, a few bad actors. People who may or may not have permits, or who don’t observe speed limits or the pedestrian priority,” he added.
Collver went on to say there would be fallout from banning snowmobiles on the trails altogether.
“There are benefits. The club does litter pickup and some repairs. The biggest thing they do, is they actually groom the trails,” he said. “If they didn’t groom the trails, pedestrians would not be able to access them."
Collver said the town grooms some local trails on their own, but don’t have the resources to maintain all existing trails.
“Without the snowmobiles, we’re limited to what the town can do, which is not much,” he said.
Collver said users of the trails – either by pedestrians, snowmobilers, or other users of active transportation – should always abide by the safety practice of yielding to pedestrians first.
He also said the town is working with the OPP to implement zero tolerance of abuse of the trail rules.
Coun. Tina Comi asked if messaging could be sent to schools to give them a heads up on the rules of the trails.
Collver said many students use the trails to walk to and from school, and that would be considered.
