Photo by Whitehorse Star
Ron Billingham and Anne Kennedy
Ski club facing 鈥榮ignificant' charges for trailblazing blunder
Charges have been laid against the Whitehorse Cross-Country Ski Club for a trail blazed last fall that ended up a metre wider than regulations allow.
Charges have been laid against the Whitehorse Cross-Country Ski Club for a trail blazed last fall that ended up a metre wider than regulations allow.
Ski club representatives appeared in court April 9, and will enter a plea next Tuesday regarding two charges 鈥� one for clearing a trail exceeding 1.5 metres without a permit contrary to the Territorial Lands (Yukon) Act, and the second regarding unauthorized harvesting of forest resources contrary to the Forest Resources Act.
Anne Kennedy, president of the ski club's board, said the club is "quite distressed at the whole situation鈥� and is treating the charges as a very serious matter.
"It's not something we anticipated at all,鈥� she said. "We're trying to do everything we can to make it right. We're not treating it lightly at all.鈥�
Kennedy said the fines that may be issued are "significant to the club.鈥�
Fines under the Forest Resources Act can range from zero to $150,000.
On the other hand, fines under the Territorial Lands (Yukon) Act top out at $5,000.
The charges come after reports in October that the ski club had cut a new four-kilometre trail to connect the Fraser Loop at the top of Mount McIntyre to Fish Lake Road.
The new trail was intended to allow skiers to access the popular early-season loop on skis.
Currently, access to the Fraser Loop is available via the Descent Trail, a 4x4 summer road and a snowmobile trail in winter.
Trails measuring up to 1.5 metres wide are allowed to be cleared on Crown land without permits. Permits only become necessary once the trail becomes any wider.
Kennedy affirmed that the intention was to blaze only a 1.5-metre trail, but the volunteer group doing the work ended up cutting a trail wider than originally expected. She called the work completed exploratory in nature.
"At this point, it was still under development,鈥� she said. "The board hadn't even determined if we were going to pursue further development.鈥�
A local resident filed a complaint with the Yukon government, fearing the 2.5-metre trail may open the door to ATV usage.
The ski club hasn't shied away from accepting responsibility, and Kennedy said the charges may lead to monetary fines and/or remediation work.
"We definitely feel we messed up, unintentionally,鈥� she said. "We're taking away from this some hard lessons learned, that in any future trail work that we do communicate properly and also clearly understand what the regulations are and what permitting is required.
"We didn't have a clear understanding of that, and that's led us into the current situation we're in.鈥�
Ron Billingham, communications officer for the Yukon Government's Department of Energy, Mines and Resources told the Star today that the department had no comment on the situation.
"For the time being, we just don't have anything to add,鈥� he said. "I'm sure everyone's hoping that it's going to be over and done with real quick.鈥�
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Comments (7)
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It figures on May 3, 2013 at 2:20 am
Well Stan just like the normal greasy wheel that whines. Put down and take away from one group to give another, everything. I do not like to ski or hike. I do like my ATV and Ski-Doo's. Why don't you try and share the Environment and quit complaining and attacking others for the things they like. And yes it was a mistake because at the end of the day we all make mistake's, just others like to rub noses in it and take the heat off of themselves, Shame on you for being so close minded to others and their lifestyles. Stop using our trails if you don't like seeing us riders having fun. Because I do believe the snowmobile club created a lot of the trail's you Skier's/Hikers use.
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Atom on May 1, 2013 at 7:27 am
SR-This article was about the ski club cutting trails for skiers. No matter how much a person hates drunken atver's, they can't make this article about atver's cutting trails.
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Stan Rogers on Apr 29, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Walter Dawson
Its not Ridiculous!
The city has looked the other way while almost all accessible areas within city limits are carved up with ATV trails. It looks terrible- its like no-one cares.
The ski club made a mistake and they have accepted responsibility. Very good!
Elsewhere within and outside city limits trails are cut or carved to almost every mountain top. No one seems to care enough to lay charges or develop strong ORV legislation. Its seems like people who drive ORVs are above the law and no one is speaking up for the habitat loss or the animals that are harried by constant ATV and skidoo traffic in sensitive habitat. People and groups that seriously harm the environment seem to get away with it. Every loss adds up thus making the ski club accountable makes sense- thanks Energy, Mines and Resources.
Its disrespectful and a form of environmental vandalism to cut trails all over the place and carve up the land. This is not the Yukon back in the 50's. Why can't people get off those machines and hike or ski around. What a silly sense of entitlement because someone owns a machine.
The ski club made a mistake- they are not the group which should be made an example of. Lets get that legislation and then put a few camera in the hinterland and get the real criminals.
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Walter Dawson on Apr 26, 2013 at 3:16 pm
What a joke. Department of Energy, Mines and Resources: spend your time and (our) resources charging people and groups that seriously harm the environment. Hydrocarbon spills and harmful effluent releases are a good place to start. Save the trail-too-wide charges for another decade and set some sensible priorities. Ridiculous.
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north_of_60 on Apr 25, 2013 at 2:22 pm
It's always easier to get forgiveness than to get permission.
'Ignorance' of the regulation is not a valid excuse.
The perceived level of enforcement elsewhere does not justify ignoring the regulations. If your neighbor steals is it OK for you to steal as long as it's less?
The 'greenies' can be as irresponsible as anyone else when it comes to environmental damage.
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flyingfur on Apr 25, 2013 at 5:14 am
Hmmm. Guilty act for sure but does not seem like there was a guilty mind. This seems a little heavy-hand for a matter of 3 friggin' feet.
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Atom on Apr 24, 2013 at 12:04 pm
There have been far more serious and flagrant examples in contravention of both these 'acts' all over the Yukon. Yg never had the sac to take on any of those individuals for some reason. Maybe because it was more like work. I guess they want to start enforcing now because this guy who reported it is pursuing them. It doesn't need to snow to tell you you're in the yukon.