Innisfil Parking Authority bad for business

Dear editor,

Friends from Toronto are in the market for furniture. I encouraged them to hold off purchasing till they checked out Munro's Furnishings Tent Sale.

For over 20 years, the Tent Sale has become a much looked forward to Innisfil tradition that coincides with "opening the cottage" for tourist passing through our community.

It is well publicized with advertising mailings to 185,000 homes in the area. And should they pull off the highway to help our economy, how do we welcome them..............with a $30.00 parking ticket!

Munroe's employs locally, and is a strong Corporate Sponsor of Communities in Bloom, Minor League Teams, the Rec Centre etc.

Yet when tourists arrive, our By-Law enforcers are waiting to add to the township coffers with parking fines.

After trying to find a parking space, Friday morning, the opening day of this event, my friend parked on the roadway with the other overflow shoppers who also were unable to find a parking space in Munro's ample parking lot.

They made a trip to their car with their purchases & decided to take in a hot dog & refreshments at the outside charity Bar-B-Q raising funds for the new local Rec Centre for Innisfil & bask in the fine weather, a fitting start to a long weekend.

Upon returning to their car, a $30.00 parking tag was attached.

I have since checked out where they were parked & the signage is very confusing in this area.

I understand the need for fines in Fire Routes, for those parked in the handicapped spaces, in front of Fire Hydrants etc.

I do not however, see the need to alienate those who want to support our local economy, by ticketing them when they clearly have no other parking options.

They clearly won't be back.

They will not fight the ticket as it requires taking time off work & coming from Toronto.

You'll never hear how disgruntled they are.

I wonder if Barrie's Kempenfest weekend would be the success it has become if their parking rules were so rigidly enforced.

Using a little common sense at times like these, Boat Auctions, Tent Sales etc. would go a long way to helping our local economy.

Doug Burley Innisfil Heights