By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Coulee area north of Bridge Drive private property – ATVers and Bikers prohibited

Sep 26, 2016 | 4:01 PM

LETHBRIDGE –  If you’re thinking of using the coulee area north of the Bridge Valley Golf course (directly across Bridge Drive) to do some dirt biking or ATV-ing – think again.

Contrary to information that is being passed around and noted in the “Roast and Toasts”, the area is NOT open for use by ATVers and dirt bikers.

The 98-acres which includes the coulee area, does not belong to the city. The area is privately owned and under restricted access. Bikers and ATVers are damaging the landscape, which contains protected rattlesnake hibernacula. 

Property owner, Ron Hall, says bikers are causing damage to the prairie grass and other elements of the landscape.

“There used to be a problem, years ago, with people riding down there but, ever since we took ownership of the land, we stopped that and for the same reason, to stop the hill slopes from dropping down from erosion, and the more that ATVs and motorcycles are on those hills, the worse the erosion is going to get again.”

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Hall, who also owns El Dorado RV sales, says his company has owned the property for years now and continually tries to protect the area.

“There are a number of signs down there – including No trespassing and private property – and that’s exactly what it means. There is no one who should be down there with ATV’s or motorcycles, unless it’s with some of my employees.”

Aside from damage being done to the property, Hall also reminds potential trespassers that the area is protected rattle snake habitat.

“There are some hibernacula (rattle snake hibernation dens) down there and I hope that everybody knows that this is a protected species, and with that much activity down there, there could be the possibility harming the snakes or the snakes possibly harming someone else, which I would hate to see happen.”

Hall says he has been away on business trips and will get calls from people telling him about bikers trespassing on the property. He will have to come back to town to deal with the issue.

“It’s gotten worse, actually, in about the last three to four weeks and it seems that I am getting calls and texts from friends three and four times a day on the weekends about bikers being on the property, and I have to go and tell them to leave.”

Hall has posted signs on the property, which is in city limits, indicating the area is restricted.  From now on, trespassers will be fined.

“The police can go down there and arrest them and charge them with trespassing – the police know that the property is owned by El Dorado RV and I will make sure that I contact city police, that if anyone is down there and caught riding, they will be charged.”

City police have confirmed that the fine for trespassing on private property is $287. Charges can also be laid for damaging the property.

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