The Estevan Snowmobile Club is happy with City Council's Decision to make changes to the snowmobile route within the City of Estevan.

"The club initiated this bylaw change," explained, Dave Heier President of the Estevan Snowmobile Club," because it was last looked at I think, 15 years ago. And it more reflects where out trails come into Estevan."

Hotel, restaurant and gas station access was very important to the club. 

"Currently we could only come in from the west to the Esso and from the south to the Shell. So now we can come into the Co-op and there are three hotels and several restaurants and Walmart."

"Hopefully, it will bring a little tourism to Estevan. We groom all the way around Estevan so people can park at the Walmart parking lot or by the Co-op, unload their sled, and get on a trail right away. you can do the same thing at the Esso and the Shell. So it makes access a lot easier."

"Hopefully there aren't any bad apples out there that ruin it for everybody else."

He added that this will keep machines out of town so they won't have to sneak down an alley to get to a trail. 

As well, access to hotels will now allow the club to bid for provincial rallies.

"There is a provincial snowmobile derby and the clubs all want to get it every year because it's a good moneymaker and it brings in several thousand snowmobilers into a town. We've never been able to compete for it because we've never had the access to hotels and you need to be able to ride up to hotels."

Heier added that the change to the bylaw has been a long road and is glad it is now in effect.

"It's probably 10 years in the making so I'm really happy that the City is being proactive to work with us." 

READ MORE: Changes Proposed to Snowmobile Route