The mayor of Tecumseh says they’re trying to ‘use the carrot, not the stick’ to address concerns about public safety in parks and on pathways and trails in the town.
The town has received a number of complaints regarding the increased use of unauthorized motorized recreational vehicles travelling at excessive speeds or with disregard for other people using the parks, pathways, or trails.
Council responded Tuesday by approving a pilot project recommended by administration that would run from June to October 2026 and focus on education, awareness, and voluntary compliance.
It also calls for the appointment of several Parks and Recreation staff as additional temporary by-law enforcement officers to deliver education, awareness, and compliance, both voluntary and by ticketing under the Parks By-law, if required.
Mayor Gary McNamara says the good news is the town has plenty of beautiful trails and parks.
“What we’re trying to do is have more folks out there to kind of have a conversation with a lot of the folks that are on the trails and on the plazas and in other areas where they should not be there because those electric vehicles are under the Highway Traffic Act and should be more on roadways,” he says.
Motorized recreational vehicles include electric dirt bikes, electric motorbikes, electric micro-cars, golf carts, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), scooter bikes, and other similar classifications of motorized vehicles.
McNamara says they’re trying to educate the general public on safety while also giving town staff some measures to address the issue.
“Obviously, we don’t want injuries when somebody is trying to enjoy our beautiful trails, parks, plazas, and so forth. It’s a question of safety, a little bit of a warning, and a little bit of education,” he says.
McNamara says they’re hoping to stay away from having to issue tickets.
“I think it’s just a matter of soft-shoeing this, using the carrot more so than the stick,” he says. “It’s just to create that awareness as summer moves on and our parks become far more populated. It’s a matter of educating folks and saying, ‘Hey, we have to share all of these amenities with everybody.’”
Signage to identify permitted uses and pathway speed limits will also be installed as part of the program.