ATVers also have rights

Dear Editor: Back in 2000 my family purchased a home and a 10-acre parcel of land that interfaces with Crown land that includes a trail network known as Three Blind Mice.

The main reason for this purchase 16 years ago was the ease of access to the forested area and the trail network within. Over the years my family has purchased numerous ATVs and off-road vehicles and when any one of my family, friends and visitors wanted to go out and do some exploring all they had to do is walk up to the shop, grab a quad, drive up the lawn, and into the woods you go. There was even an ATV rental company operating in the area.

In the past five years the provincial agency known as Recreation Trails and Sites BC have seen it to be within their mandate to restrict motorized vehicle access to this area along with the KVR and assign stewardship of the trails to the Penticton and Area Cycling Association all the while doing this without consulting the property owners that are bordering the area. I guess helping foster PACA’s mindset they now own the land. Nice. To “maintain” land you need money and if you want do that to facilitate a very limited-in-scope recreation activity you shouldn’t be running to every government agency with your hand out. At least that’s what I think. But this is exactly what PACA has done.

July 2015: Federal government grant, $34,750 via Dan Albas and was to be match-funded by the association (pretty sure that never happened);

2015/2016: City grant, $10,000;

Dec. 2016: Federal government grant, $13,000;

I am sure there is more and I’ll file FOI requests till I find it all.

Taking taxpayer money and throwing it at a special interest group and then granting them the power to restrict access to Crown/ City Land — unbelievable!

I would have rather seen Penticton City Council take that $10,000 and hire a firm to draw up an Ethics Policy Manual given all the turmoil and shenanigans going on these past few years at City Hall.

Can’t properly fund a fire department but can find money to throw at a recreation special interest group? Indeed. of Penticton Daniel Pontes Penticton