Press Release –
On Aug. 4, seven New Brunswickers will embark on an adventure of a lifetime — to be the first to ATV across this great province of ours.
There is a point to this journey — to show that ATVing is a safe, family-friendly sport that is greatly underestimated as a means of drawing tourists here and spurring our own population into healthy physical activity while getting to intimately know their own province.
Every year thousands of snowmobilers are drawn to New Brunswick’s fabulous snowmobile trails. We believe ATVing can offer similar thrills and enjoyment to those from this province, from other provinces as well as from other countries, while making a key contribution to the economies of our rural towns and villages, where most ATVing takes place.
Where no one thinks twice about visiting New Brunswick and touring the entire province by snowmobile, no one has ever even considered doing it by ATV since the sport is not promoted — except by ATVers themselves — and enjoys little of the government support that our friends in the snowmobiling community rightly enjoy.
We hope to start the process of changing all of that while demonstrating that ATVing — Canada’s and New Brunswick’s fastest-growing form of outdoor recreation — is safe, fun for every age and ability, and a key cog in both the rural and urban New Brunswick economy.
An economic impact study commissioned by The Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council (COHV) and completed by Smith Gunther Associates Ltd., reports that in 2005, Canadians spent $3.3 billion on activities directly involving 975,000 operating All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). NB’s 37,000 registered ATVs pump more than $50 million annually into our provincial economy, the same study shows.
Please find enclosed an agenda and map of our trip, which has been two years in the planning and which should total about 1,500 kms. Feel free to use the agenda to come out and meet us for interviews and photos. You will also find phone numbers and contact names of those who you can reach before or during the trip, for interviews or to arrange for photos.
Happy trails!
CONTACT:
Dan Breau in Fredericton: cellular 476-0741 (In English or French)
Randall McKinley in Saint John: cellular 645-0979; home 847-9978; work 633-7070 (In English)
AGENDA:
Friday August 3rd
Group arrives at Stoney Brook Lodge, near St. Martins, to prepare for Saturday morning departure.
Day # 1 – Saturday August 4th – Saint John to Salisbury
Group leaves Stoney Brook Lodge and heads for Sussex to have lunch at Adairs Wilderness Lodge. From Adairs we will head towards Elgin, Petitcodiac and complete the day at the Atlantic Motel on the Homestead Rd. just west of Moncton.
Day # 2 – Sunday August 5th – Salisbury to Doaktown
The group will leave the Atlantic Motel and head for Doaktown. We will be staying at Taylor’s Motel in Doaktown.
Day # 3 – Monday August 6th – Doaktown to Island Lake
The group will leave Taylor’s Motel and head for Island Lake, staying at Island Lake Lodge that night.
Day # 4 – Tuesday August 7th – Island Lake to Campbellton
The group will be doing a short run this day from Island Lake to Campbellton. We hope to arrive in Campbellton early in the afternoon and have a nice relaxing afternoon to recharge our batteries for the return trip. We will be staying at the Quality Inn in Campbellton.
Day # 5 – Wednesday August 8th – Campbellton to Long Lake Adventures lodge
The group starts the return trip by leaving Campbellton to take a direct route down to Governor’s Lodge, and then we will head to Long Lake Adventures. We will be spending the night there.
Day # 6 – Thursday August 9th – Long Lake to Doaktown or Fredericton
The group will leave Long Lake and head for Doaktown. Once we get into Doaktown, we will decide if we wish to keep pushing into Fredericton or to spend an extra night in Doaktown before doing the last section of the trip back to Fredericton. Our trip will then finish at the Ramada Motel in Fredericton.
Once we get to our destinations each night, we will be relaxing and recharging our batteries and will be available for interviews and photos.
Be aware that cellular service is spotty at best at these wilderness lodges.
