City says no changes to snowmobile law
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
NNSL (Jan 22/99) - "The hammer" will not come down on city snowmobilers, at least not yet.
The city's works and public safety committee decided Tuesday that no drastic changes will be made to the rules governing snowmobiling in the city.
| Complaints up early
Though all sides agree it's a small portion of the snowmobiling population that is causing problems, that small group continues to make an impression.
As of Wednesday, municipal enforcement had received 12 complaints about speeding snowmobilers.
Manager Paul Gamble said part of the reason for the increase in complaints is the increased media attention. Gamble added the complaints help.
"When we go on patrol, we target high-risk areas," said Gamble. "We look at the complaints and the hours the incidents occurred, and set up our patrols around them."
Gamble added that calling in a complaint does not guarantee the area will be patrolled. At most, bylaw does snowmobile patrols three times a week.
Though their complaints are up so far this year, they have been on the decline over the past three.
Municipal enforcement statistics show there were 59 complaints in 1996, 46 in 1997 and 32 last year. Nineteen people were charged with snowmobile offenses in 1996, 36 in 1997 and 25 in 1998.
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The discussion, which had to be moved into council chambers because 35 interested residents showed up for it, flowed from a rash of complaints and incidents involving speeding and dangerous use of snowmobiles this year.
Instead of recommending changes, the committee asked staff to investigate a number of softer measures for reducing the number of clashes between pedestrians and snowmobiles.
Measures include digging ruts into snow on city lakes to serve as speed bumps, increasing signage -- such as posting speed limits -- along trails used by snowmobiles, making registration plates on snowmobiles larger and more visible, and educating the public about the provisions of the snowmobile bylaw.
As he was leaving the meeting, resident Abe Mackay offered one piece of advice to council.
"Do it. Don't let it sit and sit on the agenda," he said.
Mackay had spearheaded the movement to have snowmobiling banned within city limits. But that call was toned down on Tuesday. In a presentation to committee, Mackay asked that the area in the city in which snowmobiles are prohibited be expanded.
Though not prepared to recommend such a change at this time, committee members said if things don't change they will consider banning snow machines from the city.
"We don't have a problem with the existing laws here," said Coun. Robert Slaven. "We have a problem with stupidity.... If (these changes) don't stop the stupid people, then I'll have no problem with a ban."
Mackay also raised the prospect of the city being sued if a person is injured by a snowmobile.
"I'm here to tell you that if another incident happens and goes to court, the excuse we did not have the money or the manpower (to enforce snowmobile bylaws) will not wash," said Mackay. "It will be a question of due diligence."
Mackay noted snowmobile deaths accounted for 35 per cent of all motor vehicle deaths in the NWT last year.
Snowmobilers had a number of recommendations for controlling speeders.
Trevor Schwabe suggested a three-strike system in which those caught speeding would lose the right to drive in the city after three infractions.
Jim Connor of the Great Slave Snowmobile Association said a system of trails should be established to allow snowmobilers to avoid driving on city streets.
