----- Original Message -----

From: Steve Cohen

To: chris mccart ; oakvillecyclingclub@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 4:20 PM

Subject: Re: **OCC** Bill 11 amendment

Hi Folks,

I am not sure what the problem is here, as this bill is proposing to ban bikes from remote wilderness parks only, NOT all provincial parks.

See the BLUE highlighted text portion below.

Now if they could pass a bill that would ban black flies and mosquitoes from the PP, that would make my day.

Regards,

Steve

Bill 11 was introduced last fall in Ontario's Legislature.  It included a new objective for wilderness class parks that said in part: "visitors travel primarily by non-motorized means".  Many people assumed the Ministry were going to open up wilderness parks to motorized use – which was not the intent -- and they asked the Ministry to include the current, more restrictive objective in legislation.  Note that the eight Wilderness parks in question are mostly very remote and in fact many are only accessible by canoe or airplane. IE north of Thunder Bay. The closest one that people will be familiar with is a portion of Killarny.



On 6/15/06 10:21 AM, "chris mccart" <christophermccart@...> wrote:

Good morning club.  You may or may not be aware of the amendment to Bill 11 due for final reading this coming Monday which if ratified would see the banning of bicycle use in Provincial parks.  The OCA has the crux of the issue here -

http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/news1/newslisting.php?id=855

I have written the following to my Burlington MPP this morning.  I would encourage you to act quickly & send something similar to your representative.

Good Morning Mr. Jackson.  I'm writing to you today to express my surprise & disappointment to the amendment of Bill 11 which is to go before final reading on Monday June 19.

The concern I have is that the amendment to Bill 11 that changes the wording of the bill from "Motorized" to "Mechanical" will see all bicycles banned from Provincial parks.  As someone living & working in this community with a family that enjoys all that our provincial parks has to offer this would be a travesty.  

Some of the fondest memories of my childhood are of riding my bike on the paths and quiet roads of several Ontario parks in which we camped & visited as a family.  I would be saddened to see those same experiences taken away from my 2 young boys this summer & in future years.   

Cycling is a friendly, healthy activity and has been proven to have no more ecological impact than hiking on designated trails.

I hope you will reject this amendment and suggest the bill revert to the original language "non-motorized".  

Sincerely

Christopher McCart
christopher.mccart@...

Home address:
5207 Meadowhill Rd.
Burlington