Residents frustrated with town bylaw

To the Editor

Street sweeping is in full effect in Strathmore and the bylaw officers and tow trucks must be working overtime. Conflicting signs, poor communication and short notice has this 10-year resident disappointed.

On April 23, my wife answered the door to an officer stating her truck was about to be towed while another officer was writing up a ticket. My wife was frustrated and when she tried to explain that we had no off road parking she was told she should have parked in another neighbourhood and our street was a “highway”…?

A very large sign posted on a corner read “Please… try to move your vehicles…” has been moved to another neighbourhood and the “try to” has been painted over.  When I mentioned this to the Senior Bylaw Officer he said yes, he had the signs changed, but they weren’t the legal signs (the smaller sandwich boards must be the legal ones).  When I asked if there was any communications sent out he said no, it was the law and people have been getting away breaking it. Since we have no off road parking, I was told in previous years by the Town Office that I could sweep up where our vehicles are parked. The Senior Bylaw Officer said he could not speak to what I was told by the Town Office in the past. We are wondering what people on holidays, folks sick in bed or even those at home for a few days that didn’t have a chance to see the signs felt when their vehicles were all of a sudden gone. This hasn’t been an issue in the past and all of a sudden vehicles are being towed? I wonder how many others were told not to worry about being towed only to find their cars gone this year.

 

I understand that to keep our small town clean and safe the roads need to be swept. I am just disappointed with the absence of communications and conflicting information. I guess I now wait for my summons to go to court. 

Robert B.
Strathmore