Bylaw Enforcement Officers will be out in force throughout August and will be focusing on unlawful parking in residential zones across Grande Prairie as part of the Bylaw Enforcement Education Program.
Sgt. Ross Gear says several repeat issues continue to pop up for him and his fellow officers, including the use of street parking for extended periods. Gear adds the law states that a vehicle is allowed to be left unattended for 72 hours in residential areas, but some simply abuse that leniency.
“What people have to realize is the street is not your parking lot, and it was never intended to be your parking lot. Law allows all citizens to park vehicles, but it was never meant for long term parking.”
He adds another big concern for officers is the amount of space left between parked vehicles and crosswalks. Gear says parking too close really can put pedestrians well-being in jeopardy.
“Having that vehicle five metres back really increases the sightline for the pedestrian. The pedestrian doesn’t have to venture out into traffic to see around a vehicle. They can stick their head out and see if a car is coming or not.”
Gear says when it comes to parking in malls and near businesses the message is clear: steer clear of stalls meant for those with mobility issues.
“People with mobility issues need those parking stalls. Let’s just respect that and reserve that for those people because they genuinely need it.”
The fine for most parking offenses in the City of Grande Prairie is $68.