Collier ATV riders still have no place to go

Collier County Commissioners delayed a decision whether to give ATV riders a place to ride their all terrain vehicles.

Dan Rickand, a resident of Golden Gate Estates, expressed his frustration with the lack of available space to ride his ATV.

“It’s like why can’t we have something so we don’t have to drive so far,” Rickand said. “Why?”

Collier County has been searching for land to build an ATV park since 2002 —with $3 million set aside— but have not found a location.

County commissioners discussed possibly using land at Lake Tafford to build a park, as well as establishing the ticket to ride program, which would give Collier County ATV riders limited passes to Florida trails, and 74 Family Fun Park in Punta Gorda.

Camala Krause, an ATV rider, shared her concerns with the lack of progress.

“It’s just like a sitting duck,” Krause said. “We sit here for answers or different conclusions or find one opportunity then it goes by the waist side we don’t really know why.”

When there is nowhere for ATV riders to ride their four-wheelers, they take to other places.

“The ATVs come through and they go through the canal and the go through the road and it’s dangerous,” resident Joseph Diottavio said.

Other residents oppose the idea of having places to ride ATVs due noise, damage grass and potential to start a brush fire.