Saguenay: snowmobilers damage the private land of an octogenarian

UPDATE DAY

Delinquent snowmobilers heavily damaged the private land of an octogenarian from Alma on Saturday by circulating on his plantation with their machines. 

Snowmobile clubs repeat it every year: going off the beaten track risks depriving enthusiasts of precious rights of way granted free of charge by agricultural producers and landowners.

“I don’t take it”, launched Roch Boily, owner of the damaged land.

The 88-year-old man has more than 250 acres of land behind his residence located in Melançon row.

He considers this place like his playground. He goes there every day, summer and winter, despite his age, to log or to walk there on paths he has laid out himself.

He thought he was dreaming on Saturday when he noticed that snowmobilers had traveled on his plantation.

He agreed four years ago to the government using his land to plant spruce trees.

“I wanted to see them grow, even though I know I'm not going to grow them. stake, explained Mr. Boily. Snowmobilers have plenty of places to have fun on my land and I don't deny them access, but they should stay on the trails provided for that.”

“He was discouraged because he no longer recognized his land,” mentioned Mr. Boily's daughter, Nicole, who is herself a snowmobile enthusiast. As the owner of farmland, she and her husband give rights of way to snowmobilers each year.

She has no intention of denying them access, but she does not hide it. think, especially at the sight of this damage.

“It is not what we want because it makes us happy, she said. But please, stay on the trails.”

The president of the Lac-St-Jean snowmobile club is also angry.

After breakage in blueberry fields at the start of the season, this is the second time that damage has been reported to him on private land.

“I didn't think we were going to see things like this again, it's really sad and it puts sand in the gears when you arrive to negotiate agreements,” said Daniel Simard.

The club almost lost two rights of way on its territory recently because snowmobilers had been delinquents.