William Avenue one of the most ticketed streets in city
Katie Woychyshyn, CONTRIBUTOR
629 tickets were issued on William Ave. last yearTHE PROJECTOR/ Katie Woychyshyn.
Students fed up with parking around Red River College’s Roblin Centre are justified in feeling over ticketed, at least those who park on William Avenue.
Last year, 629 tickets were issued on
William Avenue, which runs along the west side of the college’s Exchange District Campus. Out of the five cities CBC’s Marketplace recently investigated, Winnipeg drivers were given the most expensive tickets, with a maximum average of $86 in 2015.
The Marketplace episode aired Nov. 18, 2016, exposing the worst places to park in Canada. It claimed the maximum ticket price in Winnipeg is almost double the cost of the average ticket price in Toronto. The costly tickets can be daunting for students.
When Danielle Broadfoot drove to school, the 24-year-old business administration student said she parked five blocks away from the college to avoid getting a ticket. She is all too familiar with stories about ticketing on William Avenue, as her friends have gotten many tickets there before. Broadfoot said she thinks students get tickets because they are slightly late to their car, or they arrive at their car just as the ticket is being written.
“There has to be a bit more leniency,” said Broadfoot.
Parking in the disabled loading zone on William Avenue is a driver’s costliest mistake. Winnipeg by-law states that park in these zones without a permit can lead to a fine as high as $300 — if you pay after two weeks after the ticket’s issued date.
Marketplace suggests that Winnipeg drivers are sometimes ticketed based on improper signs that are either confusing, conflicting, or just hard to see.
Joao Zampa, a 34-year-old business information technology student said, “They should just allow more time. Students should be able to park for more time,” said Joao Zampa, a 34-year-old business information technology student. He thinks a four-hour time limit would be more fair as opposed to the current two-hour limit.
The Winnipeg Parking Authority’s website suggests that drivers should pay attention to time limits and avoid parking within 3 metres of a sidewalk or fire hydrant to keep from being ticketed..
