ATVBC Newsletter October 2017

Volume 3 October 2017

October 2017 Newsletter & Updates

Editors Message Well that was some summer we had or didn't have depending on your point of view. For us here in the Cariboo it was the summer of no riding. But we did manage to get a little riding in at the beginning. We did a week in Merritt for the poker ride and what a great week that was not too hot as it can tend to be in Merritt. For us the real highlight was the ice cream ride into town. The parade into town was lead by the Mayor who took us on a scenic tour of the town, lots of people came out of their houses to see what was going on as to the more than fifty quads going down the street. We got a great write up in the local paper about the event. All in all a great time was had by everyone who attended.

Next for us was probably one of my favorite Rides and that is the GPS Poker Ride at Three Valley Gap on the Wap lake FRS and I can understand why the Revelstoke area wins the best snowmobiling area in BC just about every year as the views are spectacular. So if you are up for a bit of a challenge do the GPS poker ride which takes place on July 7 & 8 2018 come early and ride the trails you will not regret it.

After that it was home to the Cariboo where we spent the rest of the Summer on an Evac Alert. Which keeps you at home as you don't dare leave as you never know if you will be aloud back in or not. But we did escape for a week and headed up north to Prince George to do a little riding and as well as going to Barkerville for the Raffle Draw. I do know that some of you did have it a little rougher and you did get Evacuated from your homes and I do hope once you did got home you found everything was fine.

So whats up with the AGM? Well this years AGM will be held in the Langley area on the 21st of October and will read more of that later in the newsletter. But I do know that a lot of you were looking forward to going to Wells/Barkerville but do not fear we will be holding the 2018 JAMBOREE/AGM at the same place. So you can start planning your holidays again to attend the Jamboree in Barkerville. The campsite is fantastic with a lot of the sites having power and the trail to town is now finished. So if you still have Dawn Leroy's phone number starting in the new year, I will let you know when it is time to book your site.

To all the clubs out there if you have an event coming up in the new year please let us know, as we would like to put it out there so that if anyone is going to be in the area at that time and would like to attend, they can do so or contact you to get more info on your event.

As some of you may know Moira is retiring at the end of the AGM this Year. She has worked for ATVBC almost from the beginning holding many positions on the board and the past two years as our president. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Moira for all her hard work and dedication over the years.

Ralph Matthews

WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS!!

We are preparing new brochures and other printed materials, therefore requesting photos from our members

Be a Star... be on the front page of our next ad!

Please ensure photos depict safe and responsible riding

Please submit photos to

[email protected]

President's Blog

I thought I had written my last President’s Blog for the August Newsletter but the wildfires did a number on the best laid plans of ATVBC and the AGM had to be rescheduled and relocated. All of which meant that the current Board of Directors stayed in place until the upcoming AGM and I carried on as President. However, this is definitely and totally my last Blog.

I have been on the Board for 12 years starting in 2005. I have held every position of the Executive, some for 2 or more years and ending with 2 years as President. Over the years needless to say I have seen many things, participated in numerous meetings and events, written many reports and letters as well as thousands of e-mails. What has changed over those years? Well the major change has been the OHV Act finally enacted after many years of negotiations. Another major change has been the growing popularity of side by sides. What hasn’t changed is the opposition of non-motorized groups and organizations to sharing trails with motorized groups or even individuals. Their tactics have changed over the years becoming very well organized and funded. They have become more subtle but more aggressive. It is doubtful that this will ever change.

ATVBC has changed also over the years in order to meet these challenges. We have developed better relationships with Government and other political bodies. We work with the clubs as best we can to assist in maintaining and developing trails. Several years ago we created the position of Lands and Environmental Coordinator which has now become Land and Environment/General Manager. Terry Wardrop was the original Coordinator and Kim Smith is the current coordinator. We try to work with many groups and clubs to keep the trails open, keep abreast of Government dealings and work with other motorized associations for the common good. It is not and never will be easy to achieve any of our goals but we must persevere, cheer every success and learn from all of them.

It has been my pleasure to have been a major part of this and I thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to work with so many over the years - members of ATVBC, Board Members and of course Elly, Kim and Terry. I wish much success to ATVBC in its future endeavors.

Moira Jaatteenmaki, President 2015-2017.

Front Counter BC Notices RE: Land Tenures

Front Counter BC provides notices of public comment period for Crown Land Tenure Applications such as: lease, license of occupation, section 56/57

Check this link regularly to see if there are any applications pending that would affect your club or riding areas.

Click Here to view Front Counter BC Notices

Upcoming Events

2017 ATVBC AGM

Langley, BC

October 21, 2017

2018 ATVBC Poker Ride

Logan Lake, BC

June 23, 2018

Revelstoke GPS Poker Ride

Wap Lake Road 3 valley Gap

July 7/8 2018

2018 ATVBC AGM & Jamboree

Wells/Barkerville, BC

August 20 - 25, 2018

For more information on these events, please visit www.atvbc.ca

Visit our website

Walker Creek Prince George area

"Mountain Climbing" in Manitoba south of Winnipeg

Let's Talk Land Use & Local Government!

So how do we talk about land use, local government, and politics without people immediately tuning out - this is the point where folks usually stop reading and start scrolling onto more interesting ATV topics... but WAIT, don't go, keep reading as understanding local government structure is the first step in building a strong relationship with government and the sport you love.

Regional Districts were formed throughout the province in the mid 1960s in order to ensure that rural residents outside of municipal boundaries had access to commonly needed services, no matter where they lived. Prior to that time, local governments were comprised of municipal governments only.

Regional districts can provide a broad range of services, the choice of services is determined by the regional board but only with the support of the electors. The range of services varies with each regional district according to its circumstances and local opinion, which means your opinion and feedback is important, the more people with similar opinion, the louder the voice is.

There are 162 municipalities in BC. Municipal councils are democratically elected bodies and are accountable to their electorate. Councils are comprised of a mayor and councillors.

Municipalities, along with non-municipal areas (known as electoral areas) form part of the regional district system. Municipal councils appoint one or more members to sit as municipal representatives on their Regional District Board.

Municipalities are the cornerstone of the local government system in BC. They operate primarily under the Community Charter which recognizes them as an independent order of government within their jurisdiction. This enables municipalities to provide a wide variety of services that are reflective of their community's needs and desires.

As Municipalities provide services based on community needs, it is imperative that you, your club and its members, engage with your Municipality to ensure they are aware of your needs and desires, and that they realize the economic potential of embracing ORV riding and tourism.

Here are some tips on how to connect with your local government:

Subscribe to Municipal and Regional District newsfeeds

Once per month, view your local town/city and regional district websites and read their monthly minutes, also watch for official community plans, trails master plans or any other planning initiatives currently underway

Attend Municipal and Regional District meetings that have impact on official community plans, trails planning, tourism, economic growth or any other matters that affect land use, your club or riding areas. These are the meetings that government considers to be "public consultation" -- this is your chance to be heard and have your wants and needs considered in planning decisions. Ensuring that your voice is heard is each individual's responsibility, as we all have the same opportunity to be heard in public consultations, it's those that grasp the opportunity early on, that are most successful in achieving their goals by having an influence on the decisions being made.

Join your local Chamber of Commerce - this is a great starting point in establishing a relationship between your club and the community, be viewed as a stakeholder within the business community. The Chamber of Commerce drives economic and social growth as well as develops and advocates policy that helps shape government public policy at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Be a Pillar in the Community - participate in community events, parades, clean-up days, assist and support local Search & Rescue - support your community and it will support your club.

Civic Elections - get involved early, ask questions, search out municipal and regional district candidates or encourage candidates to run, who will fairly represent mixed use trails - see further Civic Elections info below

It's time to start preparing for Civic Elections

Hello Fellow ATVBC Members,

In just over one year, BC residents will be going to the polls to exercise their rights in a civic election on October 20, 2018.

Unfortunately we only realize a civic election every four years, but, it is an opportunity for change in direction, to correct issues, and to secure long term goals.

Too often our organized groups of responsible riders are painted as rebels by other groups who refuse to realize the concept of shared trails and the economic benefits associated with tourism.

I urge all ATVBC and local club members to get involved in your municipal politics, actively canvass for candidates that will realize our vision and support our efforts of shared trails for everyone.

Included in municipal elections are our RDOS directors, these are the people who represent our rural areas, more importantly, "our riding areas".

We need to collectively find the municipal and regional district candidates who will fairly represent our cause and make decisions that will best reflect our efforts and long term goals.

In our area, we begun working on the political aspect a very long time ago, we will and have been very active in pursuing like minded candidates.

As individuals and a club we will actively pursue and endorse candidates willing to work with us for our goals of securing our right to ride.

Take the time to question your candidates and get involved with the forums, this is an opportunity we only realize every four years, and when Election Day comes, show up in numbers and bring others that will help support our efforts.

I have made no secret that Princeton ATV Club is politically driven in protecting our rights to ride when asked about our functions. Our goal, (or perhaps more mine as I was pulled into this ongoing battle) is to correct our local issues regarding the KVR non-motorized ban within town limits.

Together, we can make a difference, and we can make changes to protect the future of our recreational sport.

Good luck and thank you for reading.

Ed Vermette

President

Princeton ATV Club

The gang at the Forest Rose Campsite for the Raffle Draw on August 26th 2017

Raffle Update

The raffle draw was held at the Forest Rose Campsite in Barkerville, BC on the 26th of August at 4:00 PM. We had thought of moving the raffle draw to a different location but under the lottery rules it is not that easy to do, so we kept the location.

The first place winner Ray Cosh of Prince George BC opted to take the cash prize saying that if he was ten years younger he would have taken the Quad. Second prize also goes to the Prince George area and Jean Norkus was one happy lady with her new 3000 watt generator.

The next two prizes were something different for us this year and third prize was a gift card for $1,750 to be spent at one of our sponsoring dealers and that goes to David Ferguson of Canal Flats. The last prize of $750 goes to Ken Gaudet of MacKenzie.

I would like to congratulate all of our winners and thank them in supporting us.

I would like to thank everyone who bought tickets and the many sponsors who supported us in this years raffle and we look forward to working with you in the near future.

Performance All Terrain & Rental 100 Mile House

South Cariboo Motor Sports 100 Mile House

Five Star Motor Sports Chilliwack

Peak Performance Mororsports Cranbrook

Tri-City Power Equipment Coquitlam

Playmor Power Products Crescent Valley

Barrett Honda Yamaha Fruitvale

Northern Metalic Sales Fort Nelson

Fast Trax Motor Sport Fort St John

Revolution Honda Fort St John

B & F Sales & Service Grand Forks

Rivercity Cycle Sports Kamloops

RTR Performance Kamloops

Kelowna Yamaha Kelowna

M&M Performance Kelowna

Redline Cycle West Kelowna

Valley Moto Sport Kelowna

Ladysmith Motorsports Ladysmith

Greater Vancouver Power Sports Langley

Holeshot Motorsports Langley

Sea to Sky Motorsports inc Langley

Maple Ridge Motorsports Maple Ridge

Valley Motor Sport Kelowna

V.I. Honda Nanaimo

Main Jet Motorsports Nelson

Penticton Honda Centre Penticton

Cycle North Prince George

Forest Power sports Prince George

N R Motors Prince George

PG Motorsports Prince George

Fullthrottle Motorsports Quesnel

Shuswap Xtreme Recreation Salmon Arm

Reichert Sales & Service Tulameen

XXX BDM Motorsports Vernon

Spectra Power Sports Williams Lake

Outlaw Motorsports Kamloops

Trailblaz’N Power Fort St John

Vernon Motorsports Vernon

GA Checkpoint Port Moody

Kickstart Motorsports Thornhill (BC)

1st place winner Ray Cosh with Bob Stewart 2nd place winner Jean Norkus

Quad Riders ATV Association of BC | 250-554-7823 | [email protected] atvbc.ca