After years of planning, Timmins ATVs allowed on some city streets
Off-road riders in Timmins are rejoicing this week after city council voted to allow them access to some streets in the city’s west end.
After years of planning, the Timmins ATV Club calls the decision a major step forward for local outdoor tourism.
“Very, very excited,” said club president Rick Marin.
Five years in the making, Marin said he got emotional when city council voted to finally allow off-roaders on the road.
“We’re finally going to have tourism in this town, and we’ll be able to leave our home and go to a restaurant, here in town, and gas.”
The permanent street-access bylaw will apply only to some roads in the city’s west end, allowing for connection to sanctioned ATV trails.
Rules include a maximum speed of 20 km/h and a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.
This is the club’s third attempt at convincing council to allow them to use some city roads to access trails.
Coun. Rock Whissell said the difference was the club now has official trails.
“I think having those official trails, now, is easy for city council — or for Ward 1, anyway — to give them permission to use the roads, to get to the trails,” Whissell said.
Did everything right
Marin said the club worked hard to do everything right.
“We followed all the rules, we got OFATV permits, we got trails, we got apps,” he said.
“We got support -- we have landowner support. We have a lot of support in this town.”
Officials are expecting interest from riders in Timmins and beyond.
“For somebody to leave from Kapuskasing, Hearst or Cochrane … they could come drive with their ATVs, stay overnight and go back home,” Whissell said.
“I think this is a positive thing for the community.”
Street access will only be in available during the regular ATV season from May 1-Oct. 31.
The Timmins Police Service has said it doesn’t support the idea, and so Whissell said it will be up to the off-roading community to prove it wrong.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Doing it responsibly is the biggest thing,” he said.
“To make sure that this is not going to fall apart and that we’re not going to have to go back on our word, here.”
“Please, buy a pass, support, support,” Marin added.
“Do it right, follow the rules and regulations. We got this, we got this.”
Data and feedback will be collected throughout the ATV season, after which council will decide whether to expand street access to more parts of the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6974020.1721738034!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
DEVELOPING Wildfire near Jasper National Park prompts evacuation order and highway closures
Multiple wildfires in Jasper National Park flared up with a vengeance late Monday night, forcing all park visitors along with the 4,700 residents of the Jasper townsite to flee west with little notice over mountain roads through darkness, soot, and ash.
Kamala Harris likely to follow path blazed by Biden on Canada-U.S. relationship
Observers expect Kamala Harris to follow U.S. President Joe Biden’s roadmap for America’s relationship with Canada as she moves to secure the Democratic party's presidential nomination.
Someone died from untreated AIDS every minute last year: UN
Nearly 40 million people were living with the HIV virus that causes AIDS last year, over nine million weren't getting any treatment, and the result was that every minute someone died of AIDS-related causes, the UN said in a new report launched Monday.
Do you need a lawyer when making a will in Canada?
Many people believe that creating a will requires the services of a lawyer, but this isn't always the case. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew explains a lawyer's role when crafting your last will and testament.
Artist swaps British Museum coin with fake
A Brazilian conceptual artist swapped a historic British coin for a fake in the British Museum to highlight the large number of foreign objects it holds.
NEW 'The Simpsons' are once again getting credit for predicting American politics
In an episode of 'The Simpsons' from 2000, Lisa Simpson becomes U.S. president and wears an outfit strikingly similar to the one America’s first female Vice-President Kamala Harris wore to the 2021 inauguration
Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu signals ceasefire deal could be shaping up as deaths top 39,000
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signalled that a ceasefire deal that would free dozens of hostages from captivity in Gaza could be taking shape.
Thinking of shoplifting? It's not worth the cost: paralegal expert
Shoplifting and retail theft have become a $5 billion annual problem and the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is concerned about thefts becoming more brazen and violent with weapons being used.
Athletes show off stylish and expensive team clothing for the 2024 Olympic Games
Canadian athletes attempting to reach the podium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will also be looking fashionable for the entire world to see.