The president of the Eastman ATV Association is glad to hear that the R.M. of La Broquerie is considering lightening the restrictions put on ATVs.

Earlier this week, council in the R.M. of Hanover gave first reading to a new Traffic and Transportation Bylaw that, if passed, will permit ATVs on urban roads within the municipality as long as they stay below 30 km/hr.

Read more: La Broquerie Bylaw Becoming Less Strict

Donald Eidse is the President of the Eastman ATV Association. He says owners can always put their ATV on a trailer and drive it to a riding area, but this is a far better solution.

"It is the ideal situation, where you have a community that allows ATVs so now I don't have to trailer up and then unload everything miles away at the loading zone. If I can just go from my house to a specific trail, that would be ideal. Then I can go out on a trail, spend the day on a trail and come back at the end of the day and I am really not affecting my community then that is the best way."

Eidse says the next thing they would like to see is more involvement and investment from the province so they could maintain more trails.

"The province needs to recognize that these riders need a place to go to. I am riding around in my town, where am I going to go? There should be an actual trail to go to so that these people in La Broquerie can go on a trail and join up with the Eastman ATV trail, that could connect, that would be ideal. Then all of the riders actually have a place to go."

Eidse says riders are less likely to ride where they are not allowed when they have easy-to-access dedicated trails. He notes the province could also look to states like Minnesota that allow ATVs on roadways like regular vehicles if they are outfitted with equipment such as horns and blinkers.

Eidse says the direction the R.M. of La Broquerie is going with this proposed bylaw is very encouraging for the Eastman ATV Association.