The Department of Transportation and Public Works has teamed up with the PEI Snowmobile Association in an effort to increase safety on the Confederation Trail.
At a meeting of the PEI Snowmobile Association held at the Dutch Inn last night staff from the Department of Transportation and Public Works presented the Association with $10,000 in support for their continuing efforts to promote safety on the Confederation Trail. "This support will strengthen the Association's ongoing activities and by continuing to work in partnership we can achieve our goal of a safe, quality trail network for the year-round enjoyment of the public," said Transportation and Public Works Minister Don MacKinnon.
The PEI Snowmobile Association has worked closely with the Province during the development of the Confederation Trail over the last decade. During that time the PEI Snowmobile Association has delivered safety programs, grooming services and monitoring on the Trail and served as an advocate for using the Trail as a safe winter tourism asset. As a result of this advocacy the Province passed amendments to the Off-Highway Traffic Act in the Spring Session of the Legislature which strengthen enforcement.
"Our association cares about the safety of its members and the public. That's why we've worked so closely with government to make sure our safety concerns are met. We welcome this support from government which, along with the money we receive from trail permits, help us do our activities," said Gerry Martin, President of the PEI Snowmobile Association.
The province leases the Confederation Trail to the PEI Snowmobile Association each winter for use by snowmobilers. The PEI Snowmobile Association in turn provides grooming, monitoring and safety services which are funded by the annual trail permit fees collected from users. Both MacKinnon and Martin noted the success of these efforts to date, pointing out that there were no snowmobile-related fatalities on the Confederation Trail this winter.