By Chad Ingram

Published March 5 2019

Dysart et al councillors will look at allowing snowmobilers to drive down Highland Street.
The issues of snowmobilers driving on sidewalks in Haliburton Village came up during a Feb. 26 council meeting.

There is a designated parking area for snowmobilers in Head Lake Park near the Rails End Gallery where they are to park their machines while visiting the village. However some do not abide by this regulation.

“The other day literally there was five of them and I caught them on either side coming up by the CIBC and they were driving on both sides of the sidewalk” bylaw enforcement officer Kristin Boylan told councillors.

“We’re certainly not trying to deter the snowmobiles but we need them to be in an area where we can confine them for safety reasons” Boylan said.

“And also the property damage” said Mayor Andrea Roberts referring to the wear and tear snowmobiles can cause on sidewalks.

While snowmobiles are currently not permitted to drive along the village’s main street “we do have the right to change that” said Deputy Mayor Pat Kennedy suggesting this was something the municipality should look at.

“Ticket the heck out of them on the sidewalks” Kennedy said.

A previous council had decided to prohibit snowmobilers from driving down the main drag.
A draft bylaw will come back to the council table for consideration.