P.E.I. ministers see growth opportunities for ATV tourism
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Because the P.E.I. ATV Federation has not too long ago been pushing for entry to the Confederation Path, P.E.I. cupboard ministers say there are alternatives to develop the ATV sector inside P.E.I.’s tourism business.
The province not too long ago held a workshop collection to debate Confederation Path utilization, with the federation being a vocal voice pushing for ATV entry to the path, and one in all their foremost arguments being the usage of ATVs in P.E.I. as a tourism product.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Ernie Hudson stated on Nov. 9 within the legislature that the federation has collaborated along with his division to develop pilot roads for ATVs throughout the province.
“There may be super alternatives right here to work with the ATV Federation and to develop the tourism side of ATV,” Hudson stated.
This response was prompted by a query from Rustico-Emerald MLA Brad Trivers concerning the division’s assist for ATV path growth.
Trivers stated whereas a lot of his constituents imagine ATVs are too harmful for use on the Confederation Path, most aren’t in opposition to the usage of ATVs on the Island.
“With a devoted ATV path from tip to tip and a secure capability for ATVs to entry eating places, lodging and fueling stations, there’s a enormous alternative to develop ATV use on P.E.I., particularly in terms of year-round tourism by ATV riders,” the MLA stated.
Develop trails
Tourism Minister Cory Deagle echoed the sentiment, saying his division is “greater than prepared and comfortable” to work with the federation to develop their very own ATV trails.
“It is also enormous for winter tourism as nicely and tourism usually within the fall and different areas as a result of they carry in individuals from exterior the province they usually spend cash right here, so the ATVs generate tourism as nicely,” he stated.
Peter Mellish, the federation’s govt director, agrees there’s nice potential in establishing P.E.I. as a tourism vacation spot for ATV riders.
“It’s P.E.I.’s most underdeveloped tourism product,” he advised SaltWire in an interview Nov. 10.
He stated the federation’s member golf equipment have obtained assist and grants from the province to develop their very own trails in rural P.E.I.
Nonetheless, the important thing factor the federation is on the lookout for is to entry sure elements of the Confederation Path, significantly within the western area, permitting them to hook up with present path programs and get by way of swamps with out having to wreck the setting or construct a expensive new path, Mellish stated.
“It would not be environmentally sustainable or be an excellent steward to do this.”
Security considerations have been raised in the course of the Confederation Path workshop collection. Jordan Bober, the manager director of Biking P.E.I., beforehand advised SaltWire that permitting ATVs on the path would possibly result in harm and hazard for different path customers.
Bober additionally talked about the potential damaging impression on P.E.I.’s tourism business, because the Confederation Path is widespread amongst cyclists and walkers, drawing guests to the Island. This recognition may decline if ATVs have been permitted.
In response, Mellish stated he doesn’t suppose different consumer teams would want to keep away from the Confederation Path if ATVs have been granted entry.
He instructed {that a} collaborative path etiquette program may very well be developed to reveal how all path customers can coexist.
Public enter
Again within the legislature, Hudson stated apart from the suggestions obtained from the 4 Confederation Path workshops, his division obtained over 2,500 submissions by way of an internet survey on the P.E.I. web site, looking for public enter on path utilization.
Following Trivers’ point out of feedback from his constituents suggesting that the workshop collection was initiated on the request of the P.E.I. ATV Federation, Hudson clarified that this assertion just isn’t correct.
Hudson stated his division determined to launch the workshop collection after consulting with all path consumer teams, not completely in response to the federation’s request.
Thinh Nguyen is a enterprise reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached by e mail at [email protected] and adopted on X @thinhnguyen4291.
