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
Sorry to hear that Ken received a ticket for parking on the grass along with so many other cars, are there any signs posted to not park on grass,especially when rib fest vendors have to park on the grass.I agree that it does seem to be a cash grab
What makes it even more frustrating is that during the Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings at the civic complex for three weeks in June parking on the grass was done without the city or police batting an eye.
$25. is a very hefty fee for Cornhole especially for a senior citizen. When we lived in Cornhole and going over to the Civic Complex when there were activities going on there were hardly any parking spots. This is crazy to ticket people who are out to pay for an outing and then to get gouged by the city – the town sure is money hungry since they had to pay out to so many lawyers.
At most times I would agree to the tickets, but the city made a precedent with Jehovah’s Witnesses meetings where cars are everywhere, including many spots damaged. Also in the past liftoff cars were everywhere. Now thanks to the city they just put a black spot on another otherwise great event. I think the city should cancel or reduce the fine, because by there own doing, they did not have it post
Ya know Jules, you are probably correct ! ” The town sure is money hungry since they had to pay out to so many lawyers”. We all thought Bobbie spent a fortune, but our very own “LYIN LES” jumps to the front of the band ! It would be so nice, if the rest of the calcium deficient members of Council , would grow a pair & speak up about this waste of precious tax dollars !
I thinka 25.00 fine is not bad compared to the car being towed and impunded. Its one of those chances to take when parking on a lawn. No matter the circumstances i dont think youd like it if someone parked on your lawn. Maybe those cars did get tickets and the owners pulled them off. Cannot say they didnt unless you sat there and watched.
Hmm…complaining about a 25 dollar ticket for parking on the grass? If you can’t afford a 25 dollar parking ticket I wouldn’t be spending money at rib fest.
But yeah. Alot of people park on the grass. The cop was probably handing out tickets to earn his brownie points.
Clyde Barrows I have made tons upon tons of jokes and laughter about BOBBY but I do admit compared to LYING LEZ BOBBY was a much better mayor. Gee did I say that? I must be slipping awful bad in my old age. I have to admit the truth that BOBBT was a much better mayor than LYING LEZ.
Brian Loft, I’m sure an intelligent person such as yourself surely knows that if you were to take the ticket off of your car, you risk getting another one written up and placed on your car. Ribfest may have been a way of this person treating themselves, a $25 ticket is not something one budgets for, especially when you see others parking there, at different events, with no signage and no issues.
If it was grass/lawn it might warrant a ticket, might. Parking and being fined for parking on a weed field just doesn’t seem right. It’s weed field. Next time get a lift on one of the councilors bikes. You know the ones that have two wheels and can be seen sometimes in a bike lane, or not so much.
Save your money for a great experience and go to the Highland Games in Maxville. For less than the price of a ticket for parking on weeds in Cornwall you can get your fill of entertainment. Oh, and you can park on the weeds for FREE.
E-bikes drive on the sidewalks. E-bikes can regularly being seen driving the wrong way on one way streets and people on E-bikes and regular bikes seldom stop for stop signs. These are concerns more pressing and urgent to address than parking in a weed field. Unless you are a representative of the City of Cornwall. You know the Friendly Seaway Town (or something like that).
Sadly David, in spite of dwindling numbers, The Highland Games plays the same silly politics and boycotts what would most likely be their best venue to attract visitors as over 60% of our viewers reach their key markets like Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston, and other cities. That’s why I stopped attending which is sad as I really enjoyed the games….
Yes the e-bikes are a big problem even here in Ottawa. The city made bike lanes for regular bikes and cars have to give way to bikes and give them a metre away from the bikes. Those who drive bikes here in Ottawa have their lives in their hands. It is bad enough walking or driving a car – one has to be literally insane to drive here that is how bad it is.
The Glengarry Highland games are advertised on Ottawa’s radio stations and we had a friend here in Ottawa many years ago who was of Irish descent and would go to the games. About the Ribfest that is for everyone and there should be extra parking made at the Civic Complex so as people can attend that event and others. This isn’t just for a certain few but for everyone.
Clyde Barrows Lying Lez lost a good family the Vincents and could have lost another good family the Cadieux. Bobby didn’t go on CFRA or any other media to talk about tiny problems that are laughable compared to big things that he has to tackle. Bobby was still the better mayor and had a more professional way of doing things except for handling the lies against Jamie.