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February 2000
Volume 3, Issue 3 |
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The mid-Island branch is well on their way to the magic number of 25. In the past
couple months, Bill Grills, Eric and Barbara James, Travis Rankin, Rod and Amanda
Stone, Penny Duncan, and John Robinson have all joined up. Meanwhile, in the South-Island branch,
David Hope and Bill Innes are the latest recruits. A big welcome to all, and we look forward to
wheeling with you! 
You ‘ave to be kidding, ‘illary! Been climbing for two days and *#$&!!! How’s Your Battery?
In the world of four-wheeling, a good vehicle battery is very important,
and maintaining it properly is a must. With the
amount of current that’s required to start an engine on a cold day, run all your
accessories and lights and sometimes your winch as well, don’t take any chances
on your battery giving out at the worst possible time. In almost any four wheeler,
it’s a good idea to get an increased-capacity battery and alternator.
 One way to correct this decreased output is to install a dual-battery system. This is a huge advantage if you like to be able to start your vehicle after an extended winching session. One of the simplest methods to connect them is with an automatic dual battery isolator system. If one battery drains down, it will automatically switch to tap the second battery. While your engine is running, it will control the recharging of the batteries, one at a time. |
Upcoming Events South Island Contact Events Co-ordinator
February 2000 March 2000 Mid-Island Contact Steve Duifhuis for more information. February 2000 March 2000 Reminder to all members
Rock Crawl trail clearing will need to be done in April and May, so get
your trucks ship-shape now so that trail clearing will not be impeded.
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The land use committee has met and developed a year long plan for the
drafting of a BC-wide OHV Park proposal. From work in past years, much
information has been compiled on other OHV parks. Now the real work begins.
This next 3 months will find the 5 of us gathering data from ICBC and dealerships on the number of bought and insured OHV’s in BC. A list of names and OHV departments will be compiled and letters sent out asking for testimonials of the success of other programs. Other BC clubs will be informed on the progress we are making and asked for written support. The proposal will be drafted in the following three months. This will be tough as it will need to be professional and readable to a wide range of people. It will also need to stand up for the next five years of presentation. The following six months will be listing and preparing to approach all levels of government with the proposal. The planning will take that long. The year following this will be the presentation year. This will be when it is imperative that more manpower join in the land use committee. It will not be possible to submit anything to government without more dedicated help. A year seems like a great deal of time away, but it will race by. As it does, so does our chance at Harbourview. Government gears move slowly, and I fear that by the time our proposal is heard (let alone debated) much if not all of the land at Harbourview will be bought up by the CRD. They will have the money through the $10.00 levy and the acquisition of bank and government loans. But, I feel that this proposal and the following lobbying will be beneficial to future lower Island and other BC, OHV acquisitions. Andrea deLange The following article is a summary of California’s OHV program. It is valuable
for everyone to read and gain an understanding of the scope of such a
program. There has been great progress in California, but even so, some OHV
parks are finding themselves on shaky ground (no pun intended), as more issues
arise over irresponsible use and adverse effects on the local environment such
as soil erosion.
The establishment and supervision of OHV Parks are a time proven, successfully
executed concept in North America. Precedence has been set in many states
including Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Washington and California, all who have
adopted OHV programs and created OHV Parks, 10 to 20 years ago.
Managed recreation areas reduces the impact on other lands, both public and private. The California OHMVR Division manages seven SVRAs, providing approximately 72,000 acres of riding opportunities. In addition, “green sticker” funds are allocated to the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and local agencies who have developed and operate approximately 100,000 miles of unpaved roads and trails. This program is a success story of how government can serve the people. The division itself has a fixed budget derived from self-established taxes on the Off-Highway Vehicle public. Division expenses are balanced with their revenue, and at the same time provide OHV recreation throughout California. Its pro-active stance on the environment allows the division to provide both recreation and environmental protection. The next article is one written as a “press release” to inform interested parties of IRC’s intentions. It is our best argument for the creation of an OHV park at Harbourview.
The Island Rock Crawlers view the OHV park concept as an opportunity for our local and
provincial governments to serve their constituents, as well as protect and conserve
lands. As the popularity of off-highway vehicles in B.C. steadily increases, OHV park
procurement funds could be raised through ICBC insurance premiums for these vehicles.
Municipal and provincial governments would then have funds with which to purchase
lands necessary for off-highway use throughout British Columbia, while preserving
green spaces and promoting responsible off-highway use. As a result, jobs would be
created in both fund and park management.
The Land Use Committee
There are a few signs that the municipality of Sooke supports the idea of an OHV
park in their jurisdiction. This past weekend a reporter came to interview the VMC
and the IRC about the possibility of such an OHV park. It was impressive to see
so many people out to support the club and to let the reporter know full force that
the IRC is serious about gaining respect and consideration in land use.
The Island Rock Crawlers Land Use Committee is: Tracy Zala, Andrea deLange, Andy James, Garrison White, and Rob Bryce. |
 E-mail: Bow-Mel Chrysler |
IRC Parts Bin
If you have parts for sale or parts you need, contact Rob McFadyen, Email: mcclan@telus.net with subject = “IRC Parts Bin” |
Island Rock Crawlers Home Page
