Sydney’s Rotary Park is being vandalized by some ATV users and area residents say more needs to be done to keep the riders out.
“The bikes come through, revving up their engines, doing donuts, running ruts into the ground,” says Eldon MacDonald, a councillor for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
Jim Hull visits the park every day and says ATV riders use the park on a regular basis.
“I see them roaring up the street, through the field,” says Hull. “The gravel is all over to the side, just no respect for anybody.”
The municipality recently put up stone barriers in an effort to keep motorized vehicles off the grounds.
“Each of those rocks weighs about 1,800 pounds so they can’t be moved without heavy equipment,” says MacDonald. “We’re hoping that will help curb some of it.”
MacDonald says unruly ATV users are a problem in other parts of CBRM as well, but for now he is working with police to improve the situation at Rotary Park.
“We’re looking to put some money into the infrastructure here to make it better for the public to use, but unfortunately, the people with the motor vehicles are coming in and doing damage and it’s hard to justify putting more money into the park when damage is done,” says MacDonald.
Anyone who spots an ATV in the park is asked to contact police.
