Dirt bike riders leave trail of frustration
Hamilton residents neighbouring a city park say they’re being intimidated on a daily basis by a group of dirt bike riders.
For the past six weeks, a group of up to six bikers has taken to riding around Northolt Park in Fairview Downs.
Some residents have stopped using the park for fear of getting struck or chased by the riders.
‘‘The whole neighbourhood feels harassed because they like to rev their engines at us,’’ one resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said.
‘‘The neighbourhood children have stopped using the park because some of them were chased and threatened by these riders.’’
Many of the riders are believed to come from one household and use the park anytime from mid-morning to about 7pm.
One resident has taken to sleeping in her lounge to escape the noise of the revving bikes.
The riders include a mix of teenagers and adults, some of whom ride with children on their bikes. None appear to wear helmets.
‘‘One day we had six bikes riding around the park. They stay for about 10 minutes, and then they’re off, but they always come back,’’ a resident said.
She has laid complaints with the police and Hamilton City Council. Riding motorbikes in parks breaches the council’s bylaws.
Maria Barrie, city council’s unit director of parks and recreation, sympathises with residents’ concerns and plans to work with police on a ‘‘joined up’’ response.
Council staff will visit the park and examine the fences and boundaries to make sure there are no obvious gaps. However, the council has to be mindful not to restrict access to the park for residents with mobility issues.
People using dirt bikes in city parks isn’t a new issue.
‘‘Motorbikes in parks is a really tricky situation, there’s no silver bullet,’’ Barrie said.
‘‘When a resident calls in, it’s luck of the draw as to whether, when a park staff member gets there, the motorbike is even still there. If they are there, then that staff member really has to make a bit of a risk assessment about whether it’s safe to approach.’’
Hamilton city area commander Inspector Andrea McBeth said operating a motor vehicle in a dangerous or reckless manner is an offence.
Anyone who witnesses a dirt bike being ridden in a park is encouraged to contact police. Descriptions of the riders, where they came from and which direction they left the park, as well as photos of the offenders, all help.
‘‘The challenge with dirt bikes is they aren’t necessarily registered to be ridden on a road, so it can be challenging at times for us to locate where that vehicle has come from,’’ McBeth said.
Road policing staff will meet with council staff soon and discuss concerns around dirt bikes in parks with a view to establishing a coordinated response.
‘‘Ultimately, the public safety concern is very real, and we need to get on top of it, particularly for summer,’’ McBeth said.
Hamilton police’s prevention manager will also make contact with residents around Northolt Park.
‘‘It sounds like the [bikers’] behaviour might be interpreted as being quite threatening as well so . . . that can actually lead to some criminal offending as well, just depending on the nature of that behaviour,’’ McBeth said.