To the editor:
I am an avid snowmobiler and I enjoy quadding when I can. I live in the Whiteshell Provincial Park in Manitoba, which is a snowmobiling paradise, and I am proud of that. I work for a kids camp here in the Whiteshell, and I reside here year round, unlike the majority of the population of the people who come to the park. This is my home. Part of my home is the beauty and tranquility of the nature around me; as fellow ATVers, I think you know what I mean.
I was reading a RidersWest magazine (Spring 2009) recently—which I do regularly—when I came across something that concerned me: the Whiteshell Provincial Park was listed as a favourite place to ride in Manitoba. Here’s my concern—operating a quad in the Whiteshell Provincial Park without the proper permission for commercial purposes or for big game hunting is illegal. Most people know this, but they sadly choose to ignore it.
Quadders will routinely destroy swamps, walking/hiking paths, and other off-limits areas, and within days or even hours, take down no quadding signs that are posted—even when they are epoxyed and bolted to rock. Quads have destroyed many of the trails that we use for mountain biking with the children that come to our camp. There is a blatant disregard for the laws of the park because people just think they have the right to do it. And that is why I was disappointed when it was published in a popular ATV magazine that everyone reads that the Whiteshell is a favourite place to quad. I am positive that it would not have been published if you were aware of that. I would appreciate a retraction of that rider’s choice award, as well as making people aware that the Whiteshell is a no quadding zone.
Trevor Wilson
Whiteshell Provincial Park, MB
RidersWest responds
Dear Mr. Wilson,
Thank you for your letter regarding ATVing in Whiteshell Park. We completely agree that it’s important that ATVers respect the boundaries of off-limit areas, particularly when that area is as beloved and beautiful as Whiteshell Provincial Park. We at RidersWest do our best to promote responsible riding and deeply regret that our Rider’s Choice Awards—which are awarded based on reader surveys—would seem to promote or encourage riders to go to an area that they should not be.
We think this is an important issue, and one that needs to be discussed. With that in mind, we would like to use your letter to kick off a discussion with our readers. It is our hope to hear the voices of other responsible riders who feel the same as you and bring more attention to the issue.
Best regards,
Tanya Laing Gahr
Senior Writer
RidersWest
Continuing the conversation
We invite our readers to keep the dialogue going. Have you noticed other ATVers breaking the rules in areas where riding is restricted? How do you handle it? What are the solutions? Please send your letters to us at [email protected] and we will publish your replies.
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