Dover Rovers ATV Club looking at expanded in-town access

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Dover Rovers ATV Club is looking to have more roads in Dover-Foxcroft open to ATV traffic to provide access to additional businesses and in turn draw more riders to town. A new designated ATV park and ride would also be a boost.

No decision on the club’s proposal was made by the select board during its May 28 meeting, but the topic of ATV access is scheduled to be on the agenda for the board’s Monday, June 9 meeting.

Maine’s ATV industry is thriving and the Dover Rovers ATV Club is dedicated to integrating Dover-Foxcroft into this, club President Alex Robinson said.

The group has grown exponentially in recent years, Secretary Ashley Robinson said.

“We are committed to being a family-oriented club bringing more to the table than just ATV riding,” she said, saying club members are dedicated to working hard, camaraderie and giving back to the community.

In 2023 the Dover Rovers ATV Club’s inaugural Haunted Trail Ride had 83 machines and 219 attendees. Last fall these numbers more than tripled with 371 vehicles and 668 attendees, coming from across Maine as well as New Hampshire and Massachusetts and Florida.

“We believe that Dover-Foxcroft should be a destination rather than just a pass-through town,” Ashley Robinson said, saying only a few businesses in town are benefiting from ATV traffic. “By opening new roads we could boost business revenue and support their growth.”

The club is fully aware of residents’ concerns about increased ATV traffic, she said. 

“We have thoroughly analyzed the best routes to take in order to maximize benefits for our local businesses while minimizing any potential effects on our community,” Ashley Robinson said.

Three routes are being proposed. The first “Red’s Trail”, named for Mountain’s Market founder Red Mountain, and this would cover portions of Forest Street, Dwelley Avenue, Paul Street and Sanford Street to reach nearby businesses.

Route 2 or “Blood Trail”, named for the community’s first settler Abel Blood, follows sections of Fairview Avenue, Essex Street, East Main Street and River Street. After the 2025 season the Blood Trail would be adjusted with the Essex Street bridge being closed for construction.

The third route being proposed by the Dover Rovers ATV Club would go from the Garland line down the Notch Road toward Branns Mill.

Gate 3 at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds, which is closest on the trail on the east side of the property, could be the site of a park and ride. The fair association supports the idea and would be willing to lease to the club. The group has funds for a kiosk there and could place signs along its routes.

The speed limit along the ATV routes would be 15 mph in most locations and the police department would enforce this.

Milo, Greenville and Dexter each opened up some roads to ATV traffic in recent years. During the first year each saw an increase in complaints with the bulk of these being for noise, Police Chief Seth Burnes said.

“But as each year goes by those complaints become fewer and fewer,” he said, saying none of the communities had any serious crashes along the public ways. The chief said to take this with a grain of salt, as ATV access has not yet been expanded in Dover-Foxcroft.

The Dover Rovers ATV Club did not simply come up with its plan within the last month, Burnes said as he was approached over a year ago and since then has met many times with club officials to discuss the route details.

“It meets what they are trying to accomplish while making a minimum impact on the community these trails are going through,” he said.

Those with concerns can reach out to the club, Alex Robinson said.

During a public hearing on the topic, lasting for about an hour and 40 minutes, most who spoke were in favor. No one from the public expressed complete opposition, as several had a few specific concerns pertaining to their property and/or nearby areas.

Saying his opinion on ATVs has changed over time, Selectperson Steve Grammont said, “I remember the days when the proportion of yahoos to law-abiding ATV riders was pretty poor.” The reckless riders would tear up and down stream beds, hoot and holler and toss trash, but now they make up a disproportionately small portion of those on ATVs.

In Greenville there have not been issues with ATVs traveling on the main thoroughfare along Pritham Avenue, Grammont said. 

“They have a track record of living up to their word,” he said about having faith in the Dover Rovers ATV Club.

Selectperson Cindy Freeman Cyr said she may be in the minority on the board being opposed to increasing ATV access, citing safety concerns and the increase in fossil fuel consumption.

 “I find the burning of more and more fossil fuels really reprehensible,” Freeman Cyr said, saying the town should be promoting the decrease of this rather than the recreational use of fossil fuels with the planet warming annually.

“I don’t think River Street is a good place for this,” she said, saying some of these yards are right by the street.

“It’s sort of a quality of life for some of those residents,” Freeman Cyr said.

A few trails could be tested and then evaluated after the season, she suggested.

The board’s protection committee has some work to do, Selectperson Jane Conroy said. The group will need to look at ambulance traffic on Dwelley Avenue and the stop sign on Lincoln Street.

“I think it is only part of the town’s economic discussion as well as a strategic plan which we do not have,” Conroy said.

“I’m generally in favor of the proposal in terms of economic development,” Select Chair Tom Lizotte said. 

“I think having that emphasis on safe riding is the way to manage it,” he added, saying ATV clubs have worked to improve safety among riders.

Other towns have moved forward with plans less developed than that of the Dover Rovers ATV Club, Selectperson Joel Vail said. “I am 100 percent certain that Dover can do this and be a benchmark for others,” he said. 

The protection committee is set to meet on Wednesday. A potential decision could be made by the select board on June 4.

In other business, town officials received an update on the Piscataquis Area Community Center from Executive Director Manda Stewart.

The center’s juice bar Vitality Blends is now open and serves fresh juice and smoothies. The first week brought in $800 in revenue, before the forthcoming sign is installed.

There has been a bit of setback with the pool, Stewart said. The good news is that an engineer took a look and the concrete is not in bad shape as had been thought.

“The negative that we learned from that is we really need to take the paint all the way down to the concrete because the paint we have gotten to is not stable enough to hold paint,” she said.

The center is looking to get a big sander for paint removal, as well as other volunteers to help get the machine into the pool.