Motorized Vehicle Agreement

Image of dirt bikers

In 2020, the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville entered into agreements with the Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicle Clubs (OFATV), and the Johnstown ATV Club, and the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders (OFTR) and the Bytown Motorcycle Association. The agreements (By-Law’s 20-42 and 20-44) state that anyone wishing to ride an ATV or motorcycle in Limerick Forest must be a member of the OFATV and/or the OFTR and one of its local clubs.

In turn, the two organizations will provide the following services:

trail maintenance work (i.e., repairs to trails due to rutting);
trail warden patrols;
education of riders regarding irresponsible riding in the forest, the need for insurance and licensing, noise pollution, alcohol, riding on closed trails and littering;
annual spring and fall trail inspections based on the Limerick Forest Minimum Trail Maintenance Standards and
provision of additional liability insurance.

These by-laws do not mean that “other” user groups can’t use the same trails, i.e., a horseback rider or a mountain biker can use the same trails as the motorcycles and ATV’s. If someone wishes to drive through Limerick on one of the main access roads in their car or truck and can do so safely and without causing damage to themselves or the forest, then that is permitted as long as the trails are open.

To summarize, the “motorized” agreement refers only to the use of ATV’s and motorcycles and does not affect other user groups.

Details regarding annual memberships and/or trail passes may be found on the respective web sites for the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs (OFATV)/Johnstown ATV Club (JATV) or the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders (OFTR)/Bytown Motorcycle Association (BMA).