The North Bay Snowmobile Club is urging local snowmobile enthusiasts not to illegally protest the recent shutdown of the local Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) trails.
The trails were ordered closed this week by Dr. Jim Chirico, chief medical officer at the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit as a means to stop travel to the north and curb the spread of COVID-19 in the region.
"I know we’re all frustrated," said Shawn Flindall, communications director with the North Bay Snowmobile Club.
"While we all support the efforts to keep out-of-towners out of our area and off our trails, we don’t understand why that also means that we, as local riders who are obeying the rules, can’t ride our local trails either.
"Please know that we are doing everything we can to make that point with the Province and the Health Unit," continued Flindall.
See related: Health Unit closes OFSC snowmobile trails
See related: Local snowmobile club unhappy with Health Unit closing trails
While many local snowmobile enthusiasts are upset because North Bay-Parry Sound is the only Ontario health unit using these drastic measures, Flindall believes a protest will not help their cause.
"We have 'heard through the grapevine' that there are protests being planned that involve being on our trails in an organized group protest," he said.
"Please do not do this. Our trails have been closed by order of the health unit.
"That means that using our trails is now prohibited and illegal. The OPP are forced to ticket anyone on our closed trails with an $880 ticket."
Flindall believes there are many ways to get the message out without breaking the law.
"Please respect all the work that your local volunteers do. Please do not use our trails for any purpose during the closure. Breaking the law makes us all look bad."
