Whitehorse Daily Star

City moves to legitimize dirt bike area use

The Yukon Cross Country Motorcycle Association has a place to call home – at least for now.

By Stephanie Waddell on May 24, 2017

The Yukon Cross Country Motorcycle Association has a place to call home – at least for now.

City council has approved a conditional use application and 10-year lease that will legitimize the use of 6.9 hectares off of Robert Service Way.

The site has been used by off-road riders since the 1970s, both formally and informally, with a variety of groups operating it at times over the years.

The association applied to the city for conditional use approval and a lease for the space.

The group cited its hope to make the area a safer place for riders with signs that will be posted, improvements made to jumps and so on.

Arguments against the use were heard during the public input session.

Opponents cited liability issues, noise, and potential conflicts with those using nearby non-motorized trails.

They also raised the possibility that other uses may be deemed more appropriate when the Robert Service Way Area Planning Study now underway is complete.

Coun. Betty Irwin, who had voted earlier against the first readings of the lease, said Tuesday modifications made to the agreements to address the concerns were enough to change her mind on the issue.

The changes have seen:

• regulations put in place that activities at the site be restricted from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. to deal with noise;

• boundary changes for the lease (which reduced the lease area from the proposed eight ha to 6.9 ha) to allow space for non-motorized trails; and

• a clause that allows for the lease to be terminated within three months in case there are a number of bylaw or legislative infractions by those using the site or should another use be determined for the area.

On the issue of liability, the association will also be required to carry $5 million worth of liability insurance and have the city named on the policy.

There are also plans for the city and the association to install signs and fencing to prevent improper use of the site and let riders know about the associated risks.

The agreements, Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu said, will legitimize use that’s already happening on the land, put in place regulations and provide accountability.

As Coun. Rob Fendrick argued, the area needs to be run in a more organized fashion.

“This group will do that,” he said.

He added he hopes the site may become a venue for the association to educate younger riders on how to ride safely.

It could also mean dirt bike riding in the city is more contained to one area.

Curteanu also highlighted her hope that the association will continue looking for a more permanent site, noting this is temporary. Should the site be identified for another use, she said, the lease may end.

Both the conditional use application and third reading on the lease were approved unanimously Tuesday.

Comments (2)

Up 11 Down 2

Get real on May 26, 2017 at 6:50 pm

You can't hear a dirt bike in Riverdale, from below the airport and a km back from the Hydro dam!
Generally people are there from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. - after work.

How do you live with the 737's taking off and landing? They are the same distance away from Riverdale as this track is. In fact they fly right over the track just before landing / taking off to the south.

Up 3 Down 14

Riverdale resident on May 25, 2017 at 9:30 pm

While I support this, I was really hoping they would put a more reasonable time restriction such as 10 am. Now, to add to the lovely sounds of motorcycles with straight pipes, rice burners with resonators and chipped diesels roaring around Alsek late into the night, we get to hear the dirt bikers. Thanks Dan Curtis. I don't know about you Mr. Curtis, but my work has me up early, maybe I'll be sending you some voice mails when the dirt bikers have me up late.
CofW council, we'll remember this next election.

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