All Terrain Vehicle Association of Manitoba
Through education, training, and collaboration:
- Promote and encourage the safe and responsible use of ATV's
- Promote environment-friendly ATV use
- Represent the interest of ATV riders in Manitoba
- To Develop a viable trail system
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A Dream Comes True
July 11, 2010 At 11 am I was informed that what was once only a dream had just become a reality.
In order to explain I have to take you back almost two years. My cell phone rang – it was a friend and fellow ATVer and he told me that our RM Board Members were about to ban the use of all ATV’s in our cottage area. I had just purchased a quad and this was not good news.
There were several other municipalities that had already done this and we quickly organized to try and stop the ban. There were attempts made to meet with the municipal board and submit a large petition but the subject kept getting tabled to later meetings. During the winter (when there are only a few residents in the area) the ban was passed. Shortly after my RM passed the ban, the municipality south of us did the same thing.
In January of 2009 I was searching the web for information about ATV Associations in other provinces. I was amazed at the achievements they listed. They were getting support from the provinces instead of being banned. They were getting grants from both private and federal sectors to help maintain and develop trail systems. That was when I decided to do whatever it took to start an Association in Manitoba.
I started to email Provincial Associations to get information on how they got started. By February I was invited to come to a meeting with the “newly formed” All Terrain Vehicle Association of Manitoba. Because I missed the first election meeting I worked with the Board of Directors for the rest of the years as a non-board member. We had our first AGM last March and I was elected as a Director.