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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Snowmobile ban: Victim's widow supports changes

Off-road vehicles could be illegal in city

By: Jen Skerritt

Posted: 01/27/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Relatives of a 51-year-old father of two killed by a snowmobile hope a proposed ban on off-road vehicles within city limits will help prevent a similar tragedy.

One year ago, a snowmobile struck and killed Ken Stammers while he was walking in a field in Transcona. The field is west of a narrow strip of land where snowmobiles may operate legally in Winnipeg and the incident sparked a debate on whether the city should ban use of the recreational vehicles inside city boundaries.

On Thursday, city administration released a draft bylaw that recommends Winnipeg prohibit the use of off-road vehicles anywhere within the city. The only exceptions in the proposed bylaw are: off-road vehicles can be used on private property with the permission of the owner, on city property with the permission of the CAO, in snow emergencies and by city employees or public utilities who use them on the job.

The bylaw comes more than a year after some councillors called for a comprehensive review of Winnipeg's laws governing off-road vehicles. While police and some civic politicians said they supported an outright ban, the idea was put on hold after several councillors who represent semi-rural wards wanted to examine other options first.

Maureen Stammers, Ken's widow, said the back-and-forth on the ban has been "horrible" for the family, and she hopes Winnipeg will finally move ahead with the proposal. The family has maintained their privacy since the tragedy, but Stammers said she hopes that something positive can come from it.

"It's not going to bring my husband back but maybe someone else won't have to go through it," Maureen said.

Currently, Winnipeggers can legally drive snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles in designated spots on the city's periphery, including part of Charleswood that borders the Harte Trail. The proposed bylaw will make Winnipeg's enforcement similar to other Canadian cities, including Calgary and Edmonton, where it is illegal to operate off-road vehicles on city-owned land.

Council's protection and community services committee will consider the draft bylaw at a meeting on Monday.

Protection and community services chairwoman Coun. Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo) said representatives from Snoman, the provincial organization that represents multiple Manitoba snowmobile clubs, will be at the meeting to discuss the positive aspects of snowmobiling. Havixbeck said she would like to see if the city can partner with the organization to create designated areas outside Winnipeg where riders can unload their snowmobiles and park their equipment.

"I think we have to look to partner with them and see how we can do this," she said.

jen.skerritt@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 27, 2012 B2

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