‘What’s a grumpy old fellow to do? A boycott seems to be all I can come up with,’ says local senior who says he will stay away from Barrie and enjoy Orillia
An Orillia senior is questioning whether the punishment fits the crime after receiving a $100 parking ticket for what he says was a 15-minute mistake.
Orillia’s Elliot Hastings has been visiting Barrie to eat, shop and visit friends for more than 25 years, but says a recent visit has him considering taking his business elsewhere.
“My wife and I have often travelled to Barrie for social events and often to eat in a number of the very good restaurants and enjoy their view of the harbour area and the parks,” said the 84-year-old, saying it was during one of those visits that he says he stopped in Barrie and decided to take a leisurely walk along the city’s waterfront park afterwards.
“I apparently did not interpret the signage correctly prior to my 15-minute or so walk and recently received in the mail a ‘Notice of impending Conviction’ with a set fine amount of $100… for a 15-minute parking violation.”
Hastings said he quickly contacted the city to discuss the ticket, believing that while the infraction may have been technically valid, he believed the $100 fine was excessive.
“If it had been $10 or $20, I probably would have thought, ‘Well, what the heck.’ I guess if I’d been more observant, I would have noticed the no-parking signs. Apparently, one of the women I spoke with at the city office said that area is designated marina parking and that they rent those spaces out or something like that. So, apparently, it’s considered a more serious violation if you’re caught parking there,” he said.
Hastings said one employee sympathized with his frustration, while another took a more matter-of-fact approach.
“Her attitude was, ‘You parked in the wrong place. You should have seen the signs.’ I suppose she probably gets 25 calls like mine every day and, rather than trying to sympathize with people, she simply defended what was, from her perspective, a very defensible position,” Hastings said.
Despite understanding the rationale, he said the size of the fine still came as a shock.
“Still, that $100 ticket felt like a punch in the gut. As I said, if it had been $10 or $20, I would have kept my mouth shut and gone on my way.”
The city, however, maintains that waterfront parking requirements are clearly communicated.
Wendy Cooke, director of legislative and court services, said parking requirements are communicated through rate board signage, information displayed on parking machines and directional signs throughout parking areas.
Issuing parking tickets in downtown Barrie. Kevin Lamb/BarrieToday
“Waterfront parking requirements are communicated through rateboard signage, information displayed on parking machines, and directional signage throughout parking areas,” Cooke said. “Signage is reviewed and updated as required to support clear communication of parking requirements.”
The city says the $100 fine is intended to encourage compliance with parking regulations and is in line with penalties in other waterfront communities, however Cooke did not specify when the fine structure was last reviewed.
Cooke also said the city does not track whether parking enforcement has an impact on tourism, restaurant traffic, seniors or other demographic groups.
Cooke noted that motorists who believe a ticket was issued unfairly, or who wish to seek a reduction in the penalty, have the option of disputing the charge through the court system.
“Individuals wishing to dispute a parking ticket may request a trial by completing the applicable section on the reverse of the ticket,” Cooke said. “Matters are heard through Provincial Offences Court, either virtually or in person, where the individual can present their circumstances and may request consideration of the fine amount.”
Parking fines, Cooke said, are established through municipal bylaws and are designed to encourage compliance with parking regulations, noting the city’s $100 waterfront parking fine is generally comparable to penalties in other waterfront municipalities.
While the Orillia senior had hoped staff might show some leniency, Cooke said enforcement officers operate in accordance with city bylaws, policies and established enforcement practices.
Residents and visitors who wish to challenge a ticket can do so through the Provincial Offences Court process, said Cooke, who added that individuals may request a trial by completing the applicable section on the back of the ticket and can attend either virtually or in person to present their circumstances and seek consideration of the fine amount.
The city added that the dispute process is the same for everyone, including older adults.
Addressing concerns about customer service, Cooke said staff are expected to provide professional and respectful assistance, explain parking requirements and outline available payment and dispute options.
“Specific interactions can only be addressed where sufficient information regarding the ticket and circumstances is available,” she said.
For the Orillia man, however, the experience has left a sour taste after decades of visits to Barrie’s waterfront and restaurants. While he acknowledges he may have violated the parking rules, he continues to question whether a $100 fine for what he describes as a 15-minute mistake fits the offence.
Frustrated by the response, he said the only course of action he can think of is to take his business elsewhere.
“What’s a grumpy old fellow to do? A boycott seems to be all I can come up with,” he said. “Good news for the restaurants in Orillia, and not so good for those I have frequently enjoyed in Barrie.”
Ultimately, Hastings said he plans to pay the fine and move on, but admits the experience has left him frustrated.
“It’s left a bad taste in my mouth, for sure. It’s pretty hard to argue that a $100 fine is appropriate for a 15- or 20-minute parking violation. I mean, that’s pretty indefensible, I would say.”
As for what advice he would give others looking to enjoy a quick stroll along the waterfront, Hastings suggests they make sure to take a close look at the posted signs.
“Every once in a while in life you get a parking ticket. That’s just part of life, I guess. But a $100 parking ticket, I find offensive. That’s not a slap on the wrist. It’s a punch in the gut.”