Delinquent snowmobilers severely damaged the private land of an octogenarian from Alma on Saturday by driving their machines around his plantation.
Snowmobile clubs repeat it every year: off the beaten track, enthusiasts risk being deprived of their valuable rights of way, granted free of charge by agricultural producers and landowners.
“I’m not taking it,” said Roch Boily, owner of the damaged land.
The 88-year-old man owns more than 250 acres behind his home in Rang Melançon.
He sees this place as his playground, which he visits every day, summer and winter, despite his age, to chop wood or go for walks on the paths he has laid out himself.
He thought he was dreaming on Saturday when he noticed snowmobiles roaming his plantation.
Four years ago he agreed to the government planting spruce trees on his land.
“I wanted to see them grow, even though I know I’m not going to use them,” explained Mr. Boily. Snowmobilers have many places to enjoy themselves on my land and I’m not denying them access, but they should stay on the designated trails.”
“He was discouraged because he didn’t recognize his country anymore,” said Mr. Boily’s daughter, Nicole, who is a snowmobile enthusiast herself. As a farmland owner, she and her husband give way to snowmobilers every year.
She has no intention of denying them access, but she doesn’t hide it from thinking about it, especially at the sight of this damage.
“It’s 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 breaking into blueberry fields earlier in the season, this is the second time damage to private property has been reported to him.
“I didn’t think we would see the same things again, it’s really sad and it throws a wrench in the works when you arrive to negotiate agreements,” said Daniel Simard.
The club recently nearly lost two rights of way on its territory because snowmobilers defaulted.