City warns drivers not to park or stop illegally around schools

If you insist on illegally parking or stopping in school zones, prepare to be ticketed, says the City of Windsor’s parking enforcement department.

On Tuesday morning and afternoon, municipal bylaw enforcement officers kept a visible presence around Vincent Massey Secondary School and Holy Names Catholic High School. The first day back to classes meant heavy congestion on school grounds and surrounding streets during peak traffic hours.

But Bill Kralovensky, the city’s supervisor of parking enforcement, said no tickets were issued — this time.

“Today was public education,” Kralovensky said.

“Today, the officers were handing out some literature.”

The education-focused initiative will continue for the rest of the week. “Unless the officers see the same person (violating) twice or three times, then they have our permission to write a ticket,” Kralovensky said.

Massey was the school zone with the highest number of parking and stopping violations last year — with a total of more than 400 tickets issued.

An enforcement blitz at the school in September 2016 led to ugly scenes with angry parents.

Kralovensky said some violators had so many encounters with bylaw enforcement officers that they were on a first-name basis with each other.

The traffic conditions on Tuesday remained “deplorable,” Kralovensky said.

Although the public school board has invested in a new driving area and a “kiss-and-ride” program at Massey, the enhancements weren’t ready in time for Tuesday’s rush.

“It looks like it’s going to be another two weeks before they officially open that. So we had a lot of congestion,” Kralovensky said. Holy Names wasn’t any better. Kralovensky said construction in the area has been a major factor in stalling traffic, along with the usual crush resulting from the first day back to school.

There’s a simple solution to this mess, in Kralovensky’s opinion: Make your teenagers walk to school.

“There shouldn’t be congestion. The kids should walk,” he reasoned. “These are young adults. If they’re able-bodied, there is no reason they cannot walk to school.”

Those who park in a no-parking zone in Windsor are subject to a $30 penalty.

Those who park or stop in a nostopping zone — such as the one on Liberty Street in front of Massey — are subject to a $40 penalty.