POPPY SPOTS FOR VETERANS

Lakeshore saves spaces for those who served

The Town of Lakeshore has added 14 parking spots just for veterans.

Lakeshore is honouring veterans by designating parking spaces close to entrances to its town hall, community centres and parks. The spots are identified by a sign with a poppy on it.

“In military jargon we say Bravo Zulu, good on them,” local veterans’ advocate Andrea Grimes said Friday.

She hopes more places continue to add courtesy parking for veterans and that people will honour them and leave the spots available for veterans. The parking spots, which have popped up elsewhere in Windsor-essex, set a tone and remind people to honour veterans not just for their past service but for their ongoing contributions in the community, Grimes said.

The new parking spaces for veterans are at the Lakeshore town hall, the Atlas Tube Centre, the Comber Community Centre, the Libro Community Centre in Woodslee, Centennial Park, Geralyn Tellier Perdu Park, Stoney Point Park, Ladouceur Lions Park, Lakeview Park, Lakeview Park West Beach, Leffler Peace Park, Maidstone Park, Optimist Park and Shanahan Park.

“We want to honour our veterans,” Rita Chappell, Lakeshore’s manager of communications and strategic initiatives, said Friday.

The town is asking people to leave these spots for veterans, whether their vehicles have a poppy licence plate or not. Chappell is reminding people that not every veteran using the spot may be a senior.

Veterans with a poppy licence plate from the Ministry of Transportation don’t have to pay for parking spots at meters and municipal parking lots, including in Windsor, Grimes said.