'Unique' problem leaves residents of St. John's street unable to park in winter

An informal agreementbetween the residents of Craigmillar Avenue and city parking enforcement has ended, and people there are wondering where they'll parktheir cars after a snowfall.

Last month, the City of St. John's rescindeda 2004 directive forenforcement officers to "exercise discretion" or look the other way before ticketing vehicles for parking on the sidewalks along the narrow street west of downtown.

One side of the street is all row housing,with very few driveways in between, and for more than a decaderesidents have parked on the sidewalk so there was enough room in the street for snowplows and buses to pass by.

"Where are we going to park?" asked lifelong resident Sharon Reddy. "As far as we were concerned, we weren't being a hazard to anybody."

After a snowfall residents have todig out their vehicles.

But nobody on the western side of the street has a front lawn, so there is no idealplace to put the snow.

"We don't think we're hindering people from the sidewalks[by parking on them] because we have to put the snow on the sidewalk," she said. "We have nowhere else to put it. So nobody can get up and down the sidewalks anyways."

Reddy said the motion was passed by council without any warningor suggestions of whereelse they canpark.

Jamie Korab, the city councillor for the area, said he was inundated with calls and emails after the decision was made by council before Christmas.

He said the directive came from city staff, after several parking tickets were contested in court. Despite the city's 2004 directive, parking on a sidewalk is still illegal under provincial legislation. One resident theorized they were getting tickets any time a new parking enforcement officer came down their street and was unfamiliar with the "exercise discretion" rule.

Korab said he didn't think anyone got a ticket during the two snowstorms in the first week of January, but said he wants to find a better solution before the next winterweather system comes through.

"As a city we need to look at certain areas whether it be parking, or snow clearing, or whatever it is there is unique circumstances out there that may callfor a slight bend in the rules or a unique situation that calls for a unique bylaw," he said.

At Monday's meeting, council agreed to send the problem back to city staff to look for an alternative.

In the meantime, Reddy and several other residents said they'll continue to park their cars and clear snow the only way they know how.

"I guess we'll just continue to pile it on the sidewalks."

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