The Medicine Hat ATV/UTV Club welcomes riders of all levels to its newly launched track just two kilometres from town.
Medicine Hat UTV/ATV Club president Emery Sutton said six committed volunteers have constructed the track on city land originally leased by the Medicine Hat Motorcycle Society.
Sutton and his group managed to work out a deal with the Motorcycle Society to share costs for an unused 16-acre portion, which they turned into a much-needed recreational and race-grade track.
“There really isn’t anywhere to ride here,” said Sutton. “You can drive three hours to the mountains, but it is nice to get out somewhere in town and rip around, too.”
The UTV market is exploding in Medicine Hat as more families head out together. — Photo courtesy Emery Sutton
The sport has grown exponentially in Medicine Hat, especially with families who are more and more often investing in UTVs and SxSs so the whole family can pile in and head out together.
Construction started back in the fall, and the track is now open for business. It's approximately a mile and a half in length, and is 40 feet wide on the straightaways and 80 feet wide on the corners. At the moment the track boasts several jumps, and the club plans to make continuous improvements and changes, and will eventually build a mud pit at the site. The Motorcycle Society donated use of its loader and other equipment, and its members will also use the track.
The UTV/ATV Club is proving itself a force to be reckoned with, having just formed in the summer of 2014 and getting started almost immediately on such a large undertaking.
“We built it under the Motorcycle Society, so we were able to skip a bunch of loopholes and it went up quickly,” said Sutton. “We went on an ‘if we build it they will come’ way of thinking, and this will definitely help the club grow. The more volunteers we can get, the better.”
A good first lap tests the track's overall design and layout. — Photo courtesy Emery Sutton
The Motorcycle Society hosts annual May Long Weekend events, and the UTV/ATV Club expects to host its first SxS race event at the track in summer 2015. No-service camping is available on site.
Track memberships and day waivers are available at Bruce’s RV in Medicine Hat. Family memberships are $400 per year, single memberships $300 per year, and day waivers are $45 a day for a family and $25 a day for singles. Visit the store online at brucesrv.com or call 403.529.5213.
Visit the Motorcycle Society online at www.mhms.ca and the UTV/ATV Club at mhms.ca/utv-atv-club.
Directions to the track:
From Calgary: Turn left at the lights by the Esso in Redcliff.
From Medicine Hat: Turn right at the lights by the Esso in Redcliff.
The track is located two miles east on Boundary Road.
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