Hi all,
as was mentioned at the RMDRA meeting, one of the 4x4 groups was spearheading a campaign to restrict access to the Maclean Creek OHV area on May Long weekend. No camping and no drinking booze (unless camping in the paid camp sites).
This will get rid of the grad/non grad kid element that accounts for the majority of recklessness and disrespect to our beloved wilderness areas. The other minority abusers on quads, bikes and 4x4's will also not be able to harm our area. As Indian Graves and Waiporous are technically heavily restricted to random camping and OHV use (unless you quad), the kids and abusers will hit Maclean...hard!
We, the responsible OHV user needs to have our voices heard. Its only May Long that gets hit hard and i am sick of cleaning up the sludge after they leave.
If you support the notion, great go sign it.
If you do not, try to remain silent in this thread as we only want to have positive input.
Thanks.
LINKY HERE: http://www.petitiononline.com/CJA/petition.html
Petition to restrict Maclean to daytime use only on May Long
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stubble_jumper16
- Journalist
- Posts: 410
- Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:41 am
- Location: Wild Rose Country
Great Idea.
I think this is a GREAT idea, and have forwarded the link on to all 150 SportsmanRides members.
I hope this helps.
Oh... I signed it too.
I hope this helps.
Oh... I signed it too.
Response from an SRD Member...
Hey everyone.
One of the SportsmanRides.com members is an SRD officer. I'm not going to divulge his name, but I would like to share with you what he sent me yesterday in a reply to my request that he fill out the petition. It's interesting, and gives direction to the RMDRA of how they could very well move this in the right direction. Here it is:
****************************************************
This proposal requires political will from the top down approach within gov't. A closure of this nature would require legislation and the Order of the Minister Ted Morton himself..... Personally I highly doubt a closure would be implemented due to the anticipated reaction from public random camping in Maclean Creek. The available logistics to implement such a plan is somewhat doubtful as well, however, the petition would send a good message to the Minister from the OHV world.
I am not trying to be negative just trying to give you an honest opinion....... Legislation is key to impose such restrictions and this process usually requires a fair bit of communication and planning upfront.....
I will forward your email within gov't. I do appreciate your thoughts and point of view!
****************************************************
I hope the Land Advocacy group here at the RMDRA can do something with this information. There is still a couple of months to put a plan in place.
Best Regards,
Brad Churchill.
One of the SportsmanRides.com members is an SRD officer. I'm not going to divulge his name, but I would like to share with you what he sent me yesterday in a reply to my request that he fill out the petition. It's interesting, and gives direction to the RMDRA of how they could very well move this in the right direction. Here it is:
****************************************************
This proposal requires political will from the top down approach within gov't. A closure of this nature would require legislation and the Order of the Minister Ted Morton himself..... Personally I highly doubt a closure would be implemented due to the anticipated reaction from public random camping in Maclean Creek. The available logistics to implement such a plan is somewhat doubtful as well, however, the petition would send a good message to the Minister from the OHV world.
I am not trying to be negative just trying to give you an honest opinion....... Legislation is key to impose such restrictions and this process usually requires a fair bit of communication and planning upfront.....
I will forward your email within gov't. I do appreciate your thoughts and point of view!
****************************************************
I hope the Land Advocacy group here at the RMDRA can do something with this information. There is still a couple of months to put a plan in place.
Best Regards,
Brad Churchill.
Re: Response from an SRD Member...
We discussed this at our last RMDRA club meeting Brad. The logistics of actually closing Mclean to random camping for this season make the idea seem unrealistic....we do understand this. We are working on a letter endorsed by several other groups to send directly to the Minister. What happens as a result? Likely not much, and our volunteers will end up hauling tons of garbage out of the area after the May long. We feel its important to spread the word anyway. Kudos to the 4X4 group for starting this initiative.BradC wrote:Hey everyone.
One of the SportsmanRides.com members is an SRD officer. I'm not going to divulge his name, but I would like to share with you what he sent me yesterday in a reply to my request that he fill out the petition. It's interesting, and gives direction to the RMDRA of how they could very well move this in the right direction. Here it is:
****************************************************
This proposal requires political will from the top down approach within gov't. A closure of this nature would require legislation and the Order of the Minister Ted Morton himself..... Personally I highly doubt a closure would be implemented due to the anticipated reaction from public random camping in Maclean Creek. The available logistics to implement such a plan is somewhat doubtful as well, however, the petition would send a good message to the Minister from the OHV world.
I am not trying to be negative just trying to give you an honest opinion....... Legislation is key to impose such restrictions and this process usually requires a fair bit of communication and planning upfront.....
I will forward your email within gov't. I do appreciate your thoughts and point of view!
****************************************************
I hope the Land Advocacy group here at the RMDRA can do something with this information. There is still a couple of months to put a plan in place.
Best Regards,
Brad Churchill.
Reply...
I agree with you that it's good to see people standing up and at least letting Government know we care, and you're right about how unfortunate it is that the clubs have to spend so much time and money cleaning up everyone's mess after the weekend.
I'm not sure if this was brought up at one of the meetings, but has there been given any thought to all of the clubs chipping in some money and having the Herald or the Sun print an "advertorial" BEFORE the long weekend?
Essentially an advertorial is a paid advertisement worded like an editorial. Usually if it's a public interest piece, your group could get two full pages of exposure for the price of one.
On one page would be an advertisement paid for by the clubs combined, promoting responsible use of the forestry, and on the facing page would be an article which is paid for and worded in such a way that it clearly shows how the clubs are left cleaning up the mess after the May long weekend, and how we've tried many ways to lobby for controls, but they haven't been heard or dealt with. As a result, volunteers spend thousands of manhours cleaning up the mess of the irresponsible minority.
A full page advertorial in the Sun might run around $3500 (which would get us two full pages). SportsmanRides would be willing to throw in $500 for something like that if other clubs are willing.
It would be best to get it out just before the long weekend. I bet we could also get some good News coverage if it's spun properly.
Again, just me thinking out loud and willing to step up here.
Best Regards,
Brad C
I'm not sure if this was brought up at one of the meetings, but has there been given any thought to all of the clubs chipping in some money and having the Herald or the Sun print an "advertorial" BEFORE the long weekend?
Essentially an advertorial is a paid advertisement worded like an editorial. Usually if it's a public interest piece, your group could get two full pages of exposure for the price of one.
On one page would be an advertisement paid for by the clubs combined, promoting responsible use of the forestry, and on the facing page would be an article which is paid for and worded in such a way that it clearly shows how the clubs are left cleaning up the mess after the May long weekend, and how we've tried many ways to lobby for controls, but they haven't been heard or dealt with. As a result, volunteers spend thousands of manhours cleaning up the mess of the irresponsible minority.
A full page advertorial in the Sun might run around $3500 (which would get us two full pages). SportsmanRides would be willing to throw in $500 for something like that if other clubs are willing.
It would be best to get it out just before the long weekend. I bet we could also get some good News coverage if it's spun properly.
Again, just me thinking out loud and willing to step up here.
Best Regards,
Brad C
Hey all!
Thinkin' out loud after a couple of beers.
Don’t you hate it when you go to Ghost and the signs say....Pedal bikes and horses, Have all Access.
But as a motorized OHV user you are only granted certain access.
Restrictions…. I say access for all, or Access for none!
Isn’t that the same message we are saying. We are better than you.
DONT RESTRICT ACESSS! YOU ARE SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECIDENT!!!!!!!
Instead, Have SRD and the RCMP do their job!!!
There are only 2 access points to Mclean and 3 to Ghost.
Set up an SRD check point, ticket for obvious infractions [no plate or insurance], enforce the random camping rules and shut the parties down before they start.
Or, instead of putting an ad in the paper saying, “were not the bad guys, they are, even though they look like us"
If SRD can’t or won’t put up checkpoints, I suggest RMDR and SGC members, initiate it.
I will give my time to educate the uninformed rider or camper about the area laws and guidelines.
But I can’t support taking away privileges we all own as Albertans.
Johnathan 606-0505
Thinkin' out loud after a couple of beers.
Don’t you hate it when you go to Ghost and the signs say....Pedal bikes and horses, Have all Access.
But as a motorized OHV user you are only granted certain access.
Restrictions…. I say access for all, or Access for none!
Isn’t that the same message we are saying. We are better than you.
DONT RESTRICT ACESSS! YOU ARE SETTING A DANGEROUS PRECIDENT!!!!!!!
Instead, Have SRD and the RCMP do their job!!!
There are only 2 access points to Mclean and 3 to Ghost.
Set up an SRD check point, ticket for obvious infractions [no plate or insurance], enforce the random camping rules and shut the parties down before they start.
Or, instead of putting an ad in the paper saying, “were not the bad guys, they are, even though they look like us"
If SRD can’t or won’t put up checkpoints, I suggest RMDR and SGC members, initiate it.
I will give my time to educate the uninformed rider or camper about the area laws and guidelines.
But I can’t support taking away privileges we all own as Albertans.
Johnathan 606-0505
09 KTM300XCW
05 CRF250X
08 KLR 650
08 DL1000
TTR125 x2
TTR110 for sale
05 CRF250X
08 KLR 650
08 DL1000
TTR125 x2
TTR110 for sale
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crazy2wheeler
- Novelist
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 6:03 pm
- Location: Calgary (NW)
Re: Reply...
yes this was also discussed and is in the works.BradC wrote:
I'm not sure if this was brought up at one of the meetings, but has there been given any thought to all of the clubs chipping in some money and having the Herald or the Sun print an "advertorial" BEFORE the long weekend?