25 JULY, 2016.
RE: TICKET # 586535
DO NOT PARK ON THE GRASS OR THE BOGEY MAN WILL GET YOU!
Dear Sir/Madam,
I’m a Senior turning 80 this September and getting around o.k. thanks to having a Disabled Persons Permit enabling me to park close to venues, shops etc. although it didn’t help on Saturday evening at Ribfest. It goes without saying that over the four evenings of Ribfest the parking lots were packed as well as the side streets surrounding the park.
Arriving around 7pm on Saturday, as I did, there wasn’t a regular spot anywhere and particularly no Handicap spots. I can’t walk far without severe knee pain so parking very far away from the park was not an option. It was park near, or go home.
I observed many, probably a hundred cars parked on the grass, around and to the East of the big bill board, and didn’t see any “No Parking “signs or attendants in the area. I think it was reasonable to assume that though it is understood no one would park on the grass on a non event day, the numerous cars parked on the grass inferred that the normal parking restrictions were waived during Ribfest. Clearly not so, as I know now.
I was genuinely surprised and of course very disappointed to find a ticket on my windscreen around 9.30pm which begs the question, where were the attendants that should have been patrolling the area and advising people that it was an offence to park on the grass during Ribfest.
I note, there were many heavy military vehicles on the grass, not to mention the numerous vendor vehicles. As far as I could see, no damage was done by cars parking quite carefully. I passed by the park on Sunday and observed many cars parked on the grass and in the absence of any attendants to deter drivers I can only conclude the city took the opportunity to have a huge cash grab.
I am a pensioner, OAS and CPP, and $25 hits hard. If I had genuinely and truthfully known parking restrictions on the grass were being fully implemented during Ribfest, rather than temporarily waived as it appeared to me and hundreds more motorists, I would definitely not have parked. If I could not have parked close to the attractions, as I did on the grass, I would have been unable to walk from further away and would have gone home.
This whole unpleasant experience could have been circumvented with a simple yellow tape around the area. Maybe give this some thought and consideration for any future large event.
This experience has turned me a bit sour to driving from Long Sault to enjoy any more Cornwall events and no doubt there will be others of like mind.
Please find enclosed cheque for $25 and I assume there will be no compassion shown.
Ken Davies
Long Sault