About 300 parking tickets were issued early Monday morning in St. John's after the city's winter on-street parking ban officially came into effect at 12:30 a.m.
Mayor Dennis O'Keefe told council Monday night the city issued warning tickets over the weekend, in addition to its regular advertising, to inform people the ban would take effect early Monday morning on all streets outside the designated downtown area.
"Already there have been complaints today," O'Keefe said.
The mayor said the city tried to give people a break by not enforcing the policy until after Christmas.
"The city of Mount Pearl brings it in on Dec. 1. We wait until after the Christmas season as long as we possibly can," he said.
O'Keefe said the on-street parking ban from 12:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily will likely be in effect now until the end of March.
"We have no snow right now, and yet tomorrow morning we could have, God forbid, 25 centimetres. In order for our crews to do the snowclearing properly, this policy has to be in effect during those months," O'Keefe said.
"If you leave your car out, whether it's snowing or not snowing, whether there's snow on the ground or no snow on the ground, you are liable. You likely will get a ticket and if you're impeding snow-clearing operations, you could end up being towed away," the mayor said.
The fine for violating the on-street parking ban is $45, and if a vehicle impedes snowclearing operations, the owner can also be subjected to a towing charge of $113, as well as an impound fee of $3 a day.
Streets in the city's designated downtown area are exempted from the daily on-street winter parking ban.
However, during snow-removal operations in the designated downtown area - when snow is blown into a fleet of trucks and removed from the streets - vehicles impeding the cleanup may be ticketed and towed away.
More information on the designated downtown area and the city's on-street parking ban can be found on the city's website, www.stjohns.ca.
A list of downtown streets scheduled for snow removal operations is also available daily on the city's snow removal phone line, 576-7669 (SNOW).
O'Keefe said the bottom line is if you live outside the designated downtown area, your vehicle has to be off the street overnight during the remainder of the winter.
dss@thetelegram.com
Parking ban takes effect; 300 tickets issued first day
St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe warned motorists at Monday's council meeting to abide by the on-street parking ban now in effect. - Photo by Gary Hebbard/The Telegram
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Published on
January 5, 2010
- Published on July 1, 2010
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Deana Stokes Sullivan
St. John's city council
About 300 parking tickets were issued early Monday morning in St. John's after the city's winter on-street parking ban officially came into effect at 12:30 a.m.
Mayor Dennis O'Keefe told council Monday night the city issued warning tickets over the weekend, in addition to its regular advertising, to inform people the ban would take effect early Monday morning on all streets outside the designated downtown area.
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Comments
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- Steve
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:05:36
Does this make sense to anyone...let's think about it for a minute okay.
If it's not snowing outside, the city will still have someone patrolling the streets, issuing a tickets...that means someone is getting paid to drive around a clean street to issue snow-related parking tickets.
The logic used here makes no sense whatsoever, it's like trying to find a virgin in the maternity ward. -
- Paddy
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:05:09
If the city was as keen at clearing sidewalks after snow as they are at giving snowclearing tickets when there is no snow, the city would be a better place to live.
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- CasualObserver
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:05:07
Actually, Donny Dooley, not to rain on your parade, but the Goulds is part of St. John's. Happened about 20 years ago.
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- Blocked Driveway
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:04:46
The city needs to do this in all areas. Head up Shea Heights for a change. You might be surprised how many above 300 you can issue in one night. The whole hill is a open parking lot.
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- Manuel
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:04:05
This only shows what idiots we have elected to run this city. No trace of snow and none in the forecast and they have the nerve to go around handing out these tickets to people. Where the hell where they when we had all the snow? Maybe the parking people can work with the snow clearing people and shovel the sidewalks.
Parking Authority should go to city hall and city properties and fine city employees that are illegally parked. How about the police station where it seems all the police are excempt and are allowed to block the fire lane and park their personal cars right next to the fire exit door. -
- John
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:03:37
Seamus writes I hope you get 20,000 dollars in tickets and lose your homes.
Sounds like a reasonable man to me.....perhaps some anger management or counselling is in order. Get a grip. -
- Offthestreet
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:03:34
Congrats to the City... bring on the tickets!
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- Donny
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:03:25
If you don't like the rules of this city move to Mt.Pearl or the Goulds out of it. What part of the parking pan was too hard for you to understand? Get someone in your family to read it to you again!
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- b
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:02:16
Eric from NL writes: The city of Mount Pearl brings it in on Dec. 1. We wait until after the Christmas season as long as we possibly can, Dennis O'Keefe said.
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Okeefe yet again has to drag Mount Pearl into the fray, this time in a lame attempt rationalize his city's snow clearing policy.
It boggles the mind that the people of st. john's thought it was a good idea to re-elect that idiot. -
- San
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:59:58
It's hard enough getting around some streets in the city when there is no snow. In the area I live, cars are parked on both sides of the street making it difficult even in the summer. I noticed the tickets on these cars, and was glad to see them there, because, those same cars are parked there during storms, after storms, it doesnt' matter, that makes snow clearing almost non-existant. That means there are mounds of snow, cars parked on the street, and in some places, barely enough room for one car to pass. Now maybe the owners of these cars will realize that the city is getting serious about giving out tickets, and park in their assigned spots, because on my street there are assigned spots, and there is simply no excuse except that they don't want to walk an extra few feet to their front door. Remember people we live in Newfoundland , and that rain could turn to snow in a heartbeat overnight, and then people who are inconvienced by lack of snow clearing (and probably the same who are complaining about the tickets) will be quick to wonder why tickets are not being issued, and parked cars are causing snowclearing problems. Its the law. We were warned. Deal with it.
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- John
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:59:41
It's time for this city to get some young members in city council with fresh new ideas. The current mayor does not know how to do the job. He is in over his head.
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- Darryl
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:57:49
As I suspected St.John's City counsel is full of (morons). But that doesn't look good for us, since we voted these morons in. As usual common sense is not something you will find in city counsel.
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- Eric
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:57:15
The city of Mount Pearl brings it in on Dec. 1. We wait until after the Christmas season as long as we possibly can, Dennis O'Keefe said.
As long as we possibly can ? What made him hold off this long so far and why was it not possible to wait any longer ? What is his rationale ? Does he have one ?
(I wonder where people put their vehicles in St. John's the Great when they have snow up to to their ying-yang ? Did they knowingly move into a place where there is no parking available for their vehicles ?)
Hey Willie, so you're at war with your neighbour. You still have to shovel your car out from where it is to be able to get to your neighbour's spot when he goes to work. Brilliant. What happens when you get plowed in while sitting on your arse drinking all day/night ? I bet your neighbour doesn't shovel you out when he gets home from work. So you get one freebie (at a high cost) and then have to shovel your own way out leaving a spot for your neighbour next time around. Yup, you're not too swift there Willie. It's a nice story Willie, but try to make them believable if they are to be funny. -
- Willie
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:56:36
I don't have that problem down here. I wait for my neighbour to shovel his spot in front of his house and when he leaves for work I park in it. I can't get towed because he doesn't own the property just because he shovelled it!
Down this way you can park on the mayor's foot and you wouldn't get a ticket!
Willie Hunt
Pouch Cove NL -
- Hillary
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:56:33
Taxpayer ll from NL said this lack of snow will provide the brain trust at city hall with a handy excuse this spring when they introduce the water ban again. Hellooo... Taxpayer II, we had rain in lieu of snow. And LOTS of it. 10mm of snow (or that is, 1cm of snow) equals 1mm of rain. The ratio is 10:1. Besides, they measure the water reservoir depths rather than calculate previous precipitation levels. But Doc never remembers how much rain we always get in the fall. So really, you can run the reservoirs almost dry and when September hits - WATCH OUT !
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- Doug
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:55:25
The parking ban is obviously needed because we wouldn't want anyone getting in the way of those Cadillac snow clearing operations now would we?
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- Calvin
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:55:20
So, unless these tickets are being handed out by robotic units that the city does not have to pay, isnt it a waste of money to give out tickets when there is no snow? I mean, the people handing out the tickets are not doing it for free, they are getting paid, and the money is not falling from the sky..... like snow. And seriously mayor O'Keefe, does 25cm of snow normally fall without anyone knowing about it? No, it does not. Just like 10mm of rain is forecast, so is 25cm of snow. There is a more detailed, precise manner in which the city could handle the snow removal on city streets. Notice I didnt say snow clearing. When it snows, people who park on the street are impeding snow clearing. However, after the streets have been ploughed and snow removal begins, the city should have a plan mapped out that residents can obtain on-line or from city info at 311, telling them which night snow removal will begin in their area. The amount of money being spent issuing the tickets in someones wages, gas and auto insurance for the vehicles being used, and even the blank tickets being bought could be used to hire a couple of people to implement the plan mentioned above. However, that would require some thought and work on the cities behalf, and lets face it, they only do as much thinking and work as they deem necessary.
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- Heather
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:55:17
Seamus - you need some counselling
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- W
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:54:53
It's like O'Keefe said in his editorial to The Telegram, the city needs more revenue to pay for the growth. His words not mine.
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- fintip
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:52:14
There are two constants in politics that you can set your clock by. The first is that all politicians break their promises. In this case it was the promise by O'Keefe and other municipal candidates that residents would be protected from higher taxes. That promise was broken immediately after the election. The second constant is that all governments are genetically engineered to increase their own size and sense of self-importance (the term is 'aggrandizement'). That's where O'Keefe's excuse for the new tax grab comes into play. In a statement that flies in the face of proven economic theory, the mayor reasons that the city needs higher tax rates to accommodate the growth in population and construction. As most students know by the time they finish high school, the concept of 'economies of scale' dictates that as the economic unit increases in size, the average cost of operations decreases. The result of the booming housing market in St. John's should reduce, not increase, the tax burden on individual home owners.
Similarly, O'Keefe's defence of the city's policy of issuing tickets for snow clearing when there's no snow in sight holds no water. The lack of snow means the city is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in snow clearing costs. And yet it feels the need to rob ordinary citizens of one of the benefits of a mild winter - that of not having to find a place to park their cars every night. In saying that his snow clearing policy can't work any other way, O'Keefe is essentially saying that the public is too stupid to know when cars need to be moved in response to existing or pending snow conditions. As pointed out, other cities have refined their rules to ensure that citizens are not inconvenienced unnecessarily when there is no snow or threat of snow. But of course it's not really about snow clearing. It's about grabbing those extra thousands of dollars revenue that ensures that the mayor and councillors can continue living in the style to which they have become accustomed. -
- Lucy
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:51:30
I think it's insane that on a night like last night there were winter parking ban tickets issued. I drove up my street at 2am and saw 3 vehicles on the road, all with tickets on their windshields. Quite seriously I don't know what the City is trying to prove at this point. It's warmer outside today than it was most of the fall, there's not a hint of snow to be found.
I think tickets should be issued when there is snow on the ground, or if snow begins to fall. I don't know how they can justify making residents pay $45 fines just for the principle of the matter. -
- Telling it like it is
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:51:22
Are you kidding me??
Is the mayor of St. John's suggesting he has a more accurate weather forecast than environment Canada (if he does, please tell us).
I guess we know how Mile One Stadium is being subsidized this year....winter ban parking fines! -
- Seamus
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:50:30
Serioulsy Calvin, your kidding right? You have never gotten out of bed after a clear night and morning were forecast only to find 30CM of snow had fallen. You all complain about how poorly the snow clearing is in St. John's (Which beleive me, if you have ever left the3 ROCK it isn't) and then have the nerve to complain and not follow the rules and do your part. Stop your whining and move your cars for everyones sake. If not, I hope you get $20,000 in tickets and lose your homes
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- Heather
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:48:09
I agree with Lucy Goosey (read above) that makes sense by what she said...
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- a
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:48:06
First off, find me a street in st. john's where the plows actually come down and cut right into the sidewalk, cars or no cars. I used to live down town and now i live in cowan heights, and when a plow goes down it pretty much stays to the center of the road, when i shovel my driveway i have to shovel from the end of my driveway, out over the sidewalk and at least four feet out into the street. THis past snowfall we had, it was the same thing, and there was not one car parked on the side of the road, yet the plow drivers couldnt cut in. Fair enough space to park a car if you ask me.
Over christmas i had family staying in my house, they stayed for the christmas season (which traditionally speaking doesnt end until Jan. 6) i have a one car driveway, clear of them parking on my lawn, where else should they park but on the side of the road, and got ticketed last night in the rain, and left early this morning as to avoid another such incident.
And this utter crap about 25cm of snow jsut appearing out of nowhere (which in all honesty is what he said in so many words) it doesnt happen. We have high tech, extremely expensive weather tracking devices (maybe thats the reason for the need for money the city seems to want so bad) Snow doesnt just appear out of nowhere, go to the weather network and you can watch it on radar hours before it ever gets to us.
I understand the need for a parking ban, but i dont understand the need for idiocy from people we entrust to run our city. There has to be a better way to do it, and if O'Keefe would listen to the residents of his city instead of formulating ways to make more money, perhaps something more constructive could be accomplished.
... In order for our crews to do the snowclearing properly, this policy has to be in effect during those months, O'Keefe said. ...
We had one major snowfall this year, and it was by far cleaned up in a manner i would call properly and we cant blame onstreet parking for that insanity. Focus on one thing at a time, get your priorites in order and you would have less ticked off residents the morning after... -
- Steve
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:45:41
I hate to say it, but St.John's citizens had their chance to get rid of O'Keefe and didn't. You missed out on the chance in having a great Mayor in Ron Ellsworth. Next election is a long ways away. The next few years under O'Keefe may not be intelligent, but they will sure be entertaining!
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- fashionista
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:44:14
I think the Mayor should get a clothing makeover for 2010 and lose the leather blazer! OMG!
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- Angelica
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:43:23
I think it is excessive that parking ban tickets are given when there is no possible need for snow clearing. I mean, it's RAINING. It's a money grab by the City and overzealous cop wannabes.
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- Taxpayer ll
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:43:00
This lack of snow will provide the brain trust at city hall with a handy excuse this spring when they introduce the water ban again. I can hear Doc now with his nasal whiney tone telling us that our kids can't have their little pools filled. Yet when the cruise ships pull up they will fill their enormous tanks for free.
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- Calvin
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:42:31
OK Seamus, give me documented proof of the last time 30cm of snow fell overnight in Newfoundland without any forecast? I bet you cant, no matter how hard or where you look. Maybe 15-20cm falling when they only called for 10-15cm, but not 30 out of nowhere. I have no trouble parking, I have one vehicle and one driveway. Maybe the city should enforce a law saying you can only own as many vehicles as you own parking spaces? Sarcasm there for those who cant sense it. I dont care what happens off the Rock Seamus, I care about the idiocy of the city council in the place I live, not the problems caused by over-population in urban areas in Ontairo or Alberta. People have the right to not have to pay meaningless tickets here on the Rock, and they have the right to question poor judgement by elected city officials. Nice arguement though, I cant wait to see your proof of all the phantom snow storms here in St. john's.
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- parkingtickets
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:41:58
Time for houses, apartment owners etc. who do not provide sufficient parking for their tennants to pay the fines. So many houses in this city do not have sufficient parking per household and that's why there are cars parked on the street. br br I see it all the time in our neighbourhood. There should be bylaws that require landlords to provide proper parking. I've seen houses with two car parking and the household has 4 vehicles and more. Not to mention cars parked in driveways with the rear-ends sticking right out across the sidewalks as well. Those should be ticked also. br br Rediculous... that's why so many tickets given out!
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- tony
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:40:14
I live in Edmonton and we dont get a snow parking band. They place a sign in the sidewakes telling people that they have 24 hours to remove your vech's so they remove the snow. Thats only if your lucky enough to live on a street that they do remove snow. If you dont remove your car they move your car for you to another street and you get a towing charge by the towing company. Thats only if the sign's are out, most of the time they just plow around the vech's.
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- Chris
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:40:07
Hard to believe you don't head to work in the morning yourself Willie.
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- B
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:39:52
Angelica, if they do not set dates and enforce them when we get snow the cars will still be parked there. I agree that it would be nice if you could rely on people to park in other areas when snow is in the forecast, but many will still park on the narrow downtown streets and make snow clearing impossible. The city did issue warning tickets, they publish the dates each year, signs are posted and it this is not new, it happens yearly! If, people paid attention they would not get a ticket and it would make it easier for everybody.
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- Sherri
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:38:37
I used to live in Newfoundland and now live in Ottawa. I am all for a parking ban during winter months but it doesn't make sense to me to instate a ban when there is no snow to clear. Around her the ban is in effect only when 5+cm's of snow is predicted over night, and then will stay in effect during the days following so that snow can be cleared. This makes the most sense as there is no reason not to park on the streets when the grass is green whether it is winter or not. I think the City of St. John's should look at alternate ways to control parking on city streets when conditions warrent.
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- Paul
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:38:25
Does anyone remember the 20 Questions feature on O'Keefe a few years ago? He said he had to become a teacher because he couldn't pass the Calculus Math to do another program at university. But he's got the way to make a quick buck down by slapping tickets on people's windshields when thery're relaxed thinking that taking effect on the 4th of January means that night and not the night of the 3rd and the morning of the 4th. Well done with the simple Math, O'Keefe! $13,000 for someone to take a nice, little junket to Texas for the Oil show or across the briny to Europe to protest the grape harvest. It sure won't be spent on paving!
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- Steve
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:55:47
Does this make sense to anyone...let's think about it for a minute okay.
If it's not snowing outside, the city will still have someone patrolling the streets, issuing a tickets...that means someone is getting paid to drive around a clean street to issue snow-related parking tickets.
The logic used here makes no sense whatsoever, it's like trying to find a virgin in the maternity ward. -
- Paddy
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:55:02
If the city was as keen at clearing sidewalks after snow as they are at giving snowclearing tickets when there is no snow, the city would be a better place to live.
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- CasualObserver
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:54:59
Actually, Donny Dooley, not to rain on your parade, but the Goulds is part of St. John's. Happened about 20 years ago.
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- Blocked Driveway
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:54:17
The city needs to do this in all areas. Head up Shea Heights for a change. You might be surprised how many above 300 you can issue in one night. The whole hill is a open parking lot.
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- Manuel
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:53:08
This only shows what idiots we have elected to run this city. No trace of snow and none in the forecast and they have the nerve to go around handing out these tickets to people. Where the hell where they when we had all the snow? Maybe the parking people can work with the snow clearing people and shovel the sidewalks.
Parking Authority should go to city hall and city properties and fine city employees that are illegally parked. How about the police station where it seems all the police are excempt and are allowed to block the fire lane and park their personal cars right next to the fire exit door. -
- John
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:52:20
Seamus writes I hope you get 20,000 dollars in tickets and lose your homes.
Sounds like a reasonable man to me.....perhaps some anger management or counselling is in order. Get a grip. -
- Offthestreet
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:52:17
Congrats to the City... bring on the tickets!
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- Donny
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:52:03
If you don't like the rules of this city move to Mt.Pearl or the Goulds out of it. What part of the parking pan was too hard for you to understand? Get someone in your family to read it to you again!
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- b
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:51:06
Eric from NL writes: The city of Mount Pearl brings it in on Dec. 1. We wait until after the Christmas season as long as we possibly can, Dennis O'Keefe said.
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Okeefe yet again has to drag Mount Pearl into the fray, this time in a lame attempt rationalize his city's snow clearing policy.
It boggles the mind that the people of st. john's thought it was a good idea to re-elect that idiot. -
- San
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:47:32
It's hard enough getting around some streets in the city when there is no snow. In the area I live, cars are parked on both sides of the street making it difficult even in the summer. I noticed the tickets on these cars, and was glad to see them there, because, those same cars are parked there during storms, after storms, it doesnt' matter, that makes snow clearing almost non-existant. That means there are mounds of snow, cars parked on the street, and in some places, barely enough room for one car to pass. Now maybe the owners of these cars will realize that the city is getting serious about giving out tickets, and park in their assigned spots, because on my street there are assigned spots, and there is simply no excuse except that they don't want to walk an extra few feet to their front door. Remember people we live in Newfoundland , and that rain could turn to snow in a heartbeat overnight, and then people who are inconvienced by lack of snow clearing (and probably the same who are complaining about the tickets) will be quick to wonder why tickets are not being issued, and parked cars are causing snowclearing problems. Its the law. We were warned. Deal with it.
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- John
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:47:15
It's time for this city to get some young members in city council with fresh new ideas. The current mayor does not know how to do the job. He is in over his head.
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- Darryl
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:45:33
As I suspected St.John's City counsel is full of (morons). But that doesn't look good for us, since we voted these morons in. As usual common sense is not something you will find in city counsel.
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- Eric
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:44:35
The city of Mount Pearl brings it in on Dec. 1. We wait until after the Christmas season as long as we possibly can, Dennis O'Keefe said.
As long as we possibly can ? What made him hold off this long so far and why was it not possible to wait any longer ? What is his rationale ? Does he have one ?
(I wonder where people put their vehicles in St. John's the Great when they have snow up to to their ying-yang ? Did they knowingly move into a place where there is no parking available for their vehicles ?)
Hey Willie, so you're at war with your neighbour. You still have to shovel your car out from where it is to be able to get to your neighbour's spot when he goes to work. Brilliant. What happens when you get plowed in while sitting on your arse drinking all day/night ? I bet your neighbour doesn't shovel you out when he gets home from work. So you get one freebie (at a high cost) and then have to shovel your own way out leaving a spot for your neighbour next time around. Yup, you're not too swift there Willie. It's a nice story Willie, but try to make them believable if they are to be funny. -
- Willie
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:43:38
I don't have that problem down here. I wait for my neighbour to shovel his spot in front of his house and when he leaves for work I park in it. I can't get towed because he doesn't own the property just because he shovelled it!
Down this way you can park on the mayor's foot and you wouldn't get a ticket!
Willie Hunt
Pouch Cove NL -
- Hillary
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:43:33
Taxpayer ll from NL said this lack of snow will provide the brain trust at city hall with a handy excuse this spring when they introduce the water ban again. Hellooo... Taxpayer II, we had rain in lieu of snow. And LOTS of it. 10mm of snow (or that is, 1cm of snow) equals 1mm of rain. The ratio is 10:1. Besides, they measure the water reservoir depths rather than calculate previous precipitation levels. But Doc never remembers how much rain we always get in the fall. So really, you can run the reservoirs almost dry and when September hits - WATCH OUT !
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- Doug
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:41:41
The parking ban is obviously needed because we wouldn't want anyone getting in the way of those Cadillac snow clearing operations now would we?
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- Calvin
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:41:33
So, unless these tickets are being handed out by robotic units that the city does not have to pay, isnt it a waste of money to give out tickets when there is no snow? I mean, the people handing out the tickets are not doing it for free, they are getting paid, and the money is not falling from the sky..... like snow. And seriously mayor O'Keefe, does 25cm of snow normally fall without anyone knowing about it? No, it does not. Just like 10mm of rain is forecast, so is 25cm of snow. There is a more detailed, precise manner in which the city could handle the snow removal on city streets. Notice I didnt say snow clearing. When it snows, people who park on the street are impeding snow clearing. However, after the streets have been ploughed and snow removal begins, the city should have a plan mapped out that residents can obtain on-line or from city info at 311, telling them which night snow removal will begin in their area. The amount of money being spent issuing the tickets in someones wages, gas and auto insurance for the vehicles being used, and even the blank tickets being bought could be used to hire a couple of people to implement the plan mentioned above. However, that would require some thought and work on the cities behalf, and lets face it, they only do as much thinking and work as they deem necessary.
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- Heather
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:41:27
Seamus - you need some counselling
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- W
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:40:48
It's like O'Keefe said in his editorial to The Telegram, the city needs more revenue to pay for the growth. His words not mine.
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- fintip
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:36:23
There are two constants in politics that you can set your clock by. The first is that all politicians break their promises. In this case it was the promise by O'Keefe and other municipal candidates that residents would be protected from higher taxes. That promise was broken immediately after the election. The second constant is that all governments are genetically engineered to increase their own size and sense of self-importance (the term is 'aggrandizement'). That's where O'Keefe's excuse for the new tax grab comes into play. In a statement that flies in the face of proven economic theory, the mayor reasons that the city needs higher tax rates to accommodate the growth in population and construction. As most students know by the time they finish high school, the concept of 'economies of scale' dictates that as the economic unit increases in size, the average cost of operations decreases. The result of the booming housing market in St. John's should reduce, not increase, the tax burden on individual home owners.
Similarly, O'Keefe's defence of the city's policy of issuing tickets for snow clearing when there's no snow in sight holds no water. The lack of snow means the city is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in snow clearing costs. And yet it feels the need to rob ordinary citizens of one of the benefits of a mild winter - that of not having to find a place to park their cars every night. In saying that his snow clearing policy can't work any other way, O'Keefe is essentially saying that the public is too stupid to know when cars need to be moved in response to existing or pending snow conditions. As pointed out, other cities have refined their rules to ensure that citizens are not inconvenienced unnecessarily when there is no snow or threat of snow. But of course it's not really about snow clearing. It's about grabbing those extra thousands of dollars revenue that ensures that the mayor and councillors can continue living in the style to which they have become accustomed. -
- Lucy
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:35:08
I think it's insane that on a night like last night there were winter parking ban tickets issued. I drove up my street at 2am and saw 3 vehicles on the road, all with tickets on their windshields. Quite seriously I don't know what the City is trying to prove at this point. It's warmer outside today than it was most of the fall, there's not a hint of snow to be found.
I think tickets should be issued when there is snow on the ground, or if snow begins to fall. I don't know how they can justify making residents pay $45 fines just for the principle of the matter. -
- Telling it like it is
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:34:53
Are you kidding me??
Is the mayor of St. John's suggesting he has a more accurate weather forecast than environment Canada (if he does, please tell us).
I guess we know how Mile One Stadium is being subsidized this year....winter ban parking fines! -
- Seamus
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:33:18
Serioulsy Calvin, your kidding right? You have never gotten out of bed after a clear night and morning were forecast only to find 30CM of snow had fallen. You all complain about how poorly the snow clearing is in St. John's (Which beleive me, if you have ever left the3 ROCK it isn't) and then have the nerve to complain and not follow the rules and do your part. Stop your whining and move your cars for everyones sake. If not, I hope you get $20,000 in tickets and lose your homes
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- Heather
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:29:18
I agree with Lucy Goosey (read above) that makes sense by what she said...
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- a
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:29:14
First off, find me a street in st. john's where the plows actually come down and cut right into the sidewalk, cars or no cars. I used to live down town and now i live in cowan heights, and when a plow goes down it pretty much stays to the center of the road, when i shovel my driveway i have to shovel from the end of my driveway, out over the sidewalk and at least four feet out into the street. THis past snowfall we had, it was the same thing, and there was not one car parked on the side of the road, yet the plow drivers couldnt cut in. Fair enough space to park a car if you ask me.
Over christmas i had family staying in my house, they stayed for the christmas season (which traditionally speaking doesnt end until Jan. 6) i have a one car driveway, clear of them parking on my lawn, where else should they park but on the side of the road, and got ticketed last night in the rain, and left early this morning as to avoid another such incident.
And this utter crap about 25cm of snow jsut appearing out of nowhere (which in all honesty is what he said in so many words) it doesnt happen. We have high tech, extremely expensive weather tracking devices (maybe thats the reason for the need for money the city seems to want so bad) Snow doesnt just appear out of nowhere, go to the weather network and you can watch it on radar hours before it ever gets to us.
I understand the need for a parking ban, but i dont understand the need for idiocy from people we entrust to run our city. There has to be a better way to do it, and if O'Keefe would listen to the residents of his city instead of formulating ways to make more money, perhaps something more constructive could be accomplished.
... In order for our crews to do the snowclearing properly, this policy has to be in effect during those months, O'Keefe said. ...
We had one major snowfall this year, and it was by far cleaned up in a manner i would call properly and we cant blame onstreet parking for that insanity. Focus on one thing at a time, get your priorites in order and you would have less ticked off residents the morning after... -
- Steve
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:25:20
I hate to say it, but St.John's citizens had their chance to get rid of O'Keefe and didn't. You missed out on the chance in having a great Mayor in Ron Ellsworth. Next election is a long ways away. The next few years under O'Keefe may not be intelligent, but they will sure be entertaining!
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- fashionista
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:23:00
I think the Mayor should get a clothing makeover for 2010 and lose the leather blazer! OMG!
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- Angelica
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:21:23
I think it is excessive that parking ban tickets are given when there is no possible need for snow clearing. I mean, it's RAINING. It's a money grab by the City and overzealous cop wannabes.
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- Taxpayer ll
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:20:40
This lack of snow will provide the brain trust at city hall with a handy excuse this spring when they introduce the water ban again. I can hear Doc now with his nasal whiney tone telling us that our kids can't have their little pools filled. Yet when the cruise ships pull up they will fill their enormous tanks for free.
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- Calvin
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:19:50
OK Seamus, give me documented proof of the last time 30cm of snow fell overnight in Newfoundland without any forecast? I bet you cant, no matter how hard or where you look. Maybe 15-20cm falling when they only called for 10-15cm, but not 30 out of nowhere. I have no trouble parking, I have one vehicle and one driveway. Maybe the city should enforce a law saying you can only own as many vehicles as you own parking spaces? Sarcasm there for those who cant sense it. I dont care what happens off the Rock Seamus, I care about the idiocy of the city council in the place I live, not the problems caused by over-population in urban areas in Ontairo or Alberta. People have the right to not have to pay meaningless tickets here on the Rock, and they have the right to question poor judgement by elected city officials. Nice arguement though, I cant wait to see your proof of all the phantom snow storms here in St. john's.
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- parkingtickets
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:18:53
Time for houses, apartment owners etc. who do not provide sufficient parking for their tennants to pay the fines. So many houses in this city do not have sufficient parking per household and that's why there are cars parked on the street. br br I see it all the time in our neighbourhood. There should be bylaws that require landlords to provide proper parking. I've seen houses with two car parking and the household has 4 vehicles and more. Not to mention cars parked in driveways with the rear-ends sticking right out across the sidewalks as well. Those should be ticked also. br br Rediculous... that's why so many tickets given out!
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- tony
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:16:05
I live in Edmonton and we dont get a snow parking band. They place a sign in the sidewakes telling people that they have 24 hours to remove your vech's so they remove the snow. Thats only if your lucky enough to live on a street that they do remove snow. If you dont remove your car they move your car for you to another street and you get a towing charge by the towing company. Thats only if the sign's are out, most of the time they just plow around the vech's.
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- Chris
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:15:52
Hard to believe you don't head to work in the morning yourself Willie.
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- B
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:15:27
Angelica, if they do not set dates and enforce them when we get snow the cars will still be parked there. I agree that it would be nice if you could rely on people to park in other areas when snow is in the forecast, but many will still park on the narrow downtown streets and make snow clearing impossible. The city did issue warning tickets, they publish the dates each year, signs are posted and it this is not new, it happens yearly! If, people paid attention they would not get a ticket and it would make it easier for everybody.
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- Sherri
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:13:28
I used to live in Newfoundland and now live in Ottawa. I am all for a parking ban during winter months but it doesn't make sense to me to instate a ban when there is no snow to clear. Around her the ban is in effect only when 5+cm's of snow is predicted over night, and then will stay in effect during the days following so that snow can be cleared. This makes the most sense as there is no reason not to park on the streets when the grass is green whether it is winter or not. I think the City of St. John's should look at alternate ways to control parking on city streets when conditions warrent.
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- Paul
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:13:13
Does anyone remember the 20 Questions feature on O'Keefe a few years ago? He said he had to become a teacher because he couldn't pass the Calculus Math to do another program at university. But he's got the way to make a quick buck down by slapping tickets on people's windshields when thery're relaxed thinking that taking effect on the 4th of January means that night and not the night of the 3rd and the morning of the 4th. Well done with the simple Math, O'Keefe! $13,000 for someone to take a nice, little junket to Texas for the Oil show or across the briny to Europe to protest the grape harvest. It sure won't be spent on paving!
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Steve it makes perfect sense. If you went to bed with not a flake on the ground with your car parked on the street, and we got 15cm of snow between midnight and 6 am while you were fast asleep, who's going to move your car into the driveway at 4:30am when the ploughs go by? With nearly 7 months of winter conditions in st. john's i think keeping our vehicles of the street for 3 of them is not asking too much.