Photo courtesy Borderland Snowmobile Club/Facebook
The town of Fort Frances is updating its snowmobile by-law.
It includes a map outlining where snowmachines are permitted and areas where they are restricted.
It allows them on most streets. Second Street East, Scott Street and Colonization Road East are some of the exceptions.
They are also prohibited around elementary schools when students are in class.
By-law enforcement Officer Patrick Briere says the Borderland Snowmobile Club was involved in the rewrite.
“We were asked by the Borderline snowmobile club to put in potential routes we wanted snowmobiles to follow. We wanted to leave it more open for them because currently, right now, we do have snowmobile access to most town services and businesses, and we didn’t want to limit them to where they can and can not go,” says Briere.
Briere says the snowmobile club is also willing to help educate snowmobilers about the rules.
“They are going to be, once it’s approved, putting out educational materials for their membership. When they do their snowmobile drivers training for the kids that are under 16, they’re going to be educating the kids on the by-laws for Fort Frances and any other communities if there are any,” notes Briere.
Briere says the town would also look to do some advertising in advance of next winter.
The by-law still keeps snowmobilers off Kings Highway.
Briere says there is work to create a trail off the road to access some businesses in that area.
“They got the north side of the highway dealt with already. Dale Fortes (owner of Boston Pizza) is kind of leading the charge with that. He’s also working with the southside property owners to figure out how they can access the south side businesses as well.”
The updated by-law comes to town council next week for final approval.
