Concerned St. George Residents Speak Out Against QuadNB Trail Route Proposal

During the public presentations portion of the July 2022 regular town council meeting for the town of St. George, several concerned residents of the area spoke out against a proposed trail route for ATV members of QuadNB that would run through Riverview Avenue and Main Street.

“All-terrain vehicles are not designed for paved roads,” said Joseph Majtenyi. "They are not subject to the same rigorous safety standards required for cars. Design features such as solid rear axles and low tire air pressure make them vulnerable for loss of control or roll overs on paved roads. There are no turn signals on ATVs. Manufacturers have warning labels on each ATV: ‘do not use on paved roads.’ QuadNB is asking council to ignore the reasons Transport Canada and the New Brunswick Department of Transport banned ATVs from public roads.”

“Riverview Avenue by my house is a dangerous road especially with a blind hill just above my house," continued Majtenyi who also brought a petition signed by residents of Riverview Avenue who are against the trail. "Approving this proposal will negatively impact the lives of those living on Riverview Avenue and will expose us to potential safety hazards. Your primary concern as councillors should be towards the residents of this town who are taxpayers, and not to QuadNB, which is a well-financed special interest group. At the very most, approve QuadNB’s proposal as a pilot project that can be reviewed after one year to allow for feedback from all the stakeholders." 

“We all have different interests, and I respect that,” said another concerned St. George resident Glen Larson. “I’ve tried to keep an open mind, but ultimately you have an obligations to the citizens of this town and not QuadNB.”

Larson said he did not foresee the QuadNB trail bringing new tourism to the area as QuadNB had suggested it could in a presentation made at an earlier council meeting. He believes ATV drivers will just pass through the town and potentially stop for gas but little more. 

David Armstrong, another concerned resident, said he attended the presentation of QuadNB and is still in opposition to QuadNB’s request.

“I’m sure most ATV drivers are responsible, but you still get irresponsible drivers," said Armstrong. "For example, I saw many ATV drivers driving on streets in St. George this past week, and right now it is illegal. If we can’t enforce the law now, how will we enforce rules when it is allowed?”