SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — An Island snowmobile group has taken to social media after numerous close calls prompted a safety reminder.
The P.E.I. Snowmobile Association (PEISA) is asking walkers and skiers to stay off the snowmobile trails.
More than any other year, members are reporting incidents where they nearly struck a person or pet that was on the trail.
“There’s been some really, really close calls. We just felt that it was time for people to be aware, they’re really not allowed there,” said PEISA president Dale Hickox said earlier this month.
The Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association and it's members are concerned over the number of walkers and skier's...
Posted by Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association on Friday, February 28, 2020
Each year the PEISA leases the abandoned rail bed system from the province, including the Confederation Trail and spur lines into Souris, Georgetown and Murray Harbour. Together with agreements from private landowners, there are more than 900 kilometres of groomed trails for snowmobilers.
The Association carries the insurance policy while the lease is active, which is why the trails are reserved for PEISA members only.
Membership fees pay for the $1.5 million in grooming equipment and the more than $250,000 in fuel used to keep the trails in good shape.
Both the province and the association pointed out the trails are only walkable because of PEISA grooming.
Each year, the PEISA and the province’s department of transportation agree to a date and sign the lease when the snow has arrived.
This season’s lease was signed on Dec. 22.
Originally, the rail bed lease, including most of the Confederation Trail, ran from Dec. 1 to March 31, but Hickox said it wasn’t fair to stop walkers from using the trail in December if there was no snow.
Both the province and the association said there is no plan in place for how to communicate these dates to the general public.
“We don’t want to be painted as the bad guy, as ‘the big bad snowmobile association who won’t let (people) walk on the trails’.”
The PEISA is responsible for safety signage for its users, such as stop signs and private crossings, said a spokesperson from the province.
Many comments in response to the PEISA post on social media indicated some members of the public didn’t know the trails were off-limits to walkers, noting there were no signs.
Until now, the association has resisted sending out a “stay away” message.
“We don’t want to be painted as the bad guy, as ‘the big bad snowmobile association who won’t let (people) walk on the trails’,” said Hickox.
This season, he’s hearing numerous reports from members who have almost hit people.
Areas around towns are hot spots for incidents.
Snowmobiles have gotten quieter over the years, and it’s hard to hear them coming, said Hickox.
Some walkers let their dogs run off-leash, then scramble when they see a snowmobile, putting themselves at risk.
“I love dogs,” said Hickox. “I don’t want to hit a dog.”
He also said headphone use is an issue.
“Four years ago, I was driving a groomer and I pulled up behind somebody with their iPod on and they never heard me at all. I was right behind them. And this is a big piece of equipment, and he just kept on walking, because he was listening to his music and not paying any attention to what was coming up behind him.”
With this season’s uptick in incidents, Hickox said it’s time for the association to get proactive.
He’s in talks with the province to determine who will be responsible for future signage, which he hopes will go at each road crossing.