After days and weeks of dodging cars buried in snow on narrow side roads, Dana Trickett has had enough.
Trickett, 23, lives in the city’s southwest and says the roads are becoming dangerous to drive along at times, and at other times frustrating to park on while some cars go unmoved over the winter.
“I find the roads are getting narrower because of the cars that haven’t moved, and snow keeps just piling up and burying cars,” she said.
City bylaw boss Bill Bruce said there is a problem with people leaving their cars to get buried in the snow, which can cause problems for the community.
“Yes, we have been getting complaints, but our hands are tied. As long as a car is licensed, registered and insured, they are allowed to park on the street,” Bruce said.
He said there aren’t any bylaws in Calgary that restrict parking, but he would like to see some put in place.
“I think it’s something that needs to be looked at,” he added.
Roads spokesperson Kelsey Strachan said while the city can issue temporary parking bans, they usually only do so in high-density areas like downtown.
“We don’t plow in residential areas, so it’s not really an issue,” she said.
“The snow does pile up, but the important thing is that we get the roads cleared. “
Ald. Andre Chabot said he would support some type of bylaw that would restrict the amount of time people can leave their cars on streets without moving them.
“I would look at some type of 72-hour limit, and I would also look at that for the spring time, too, when roads need to be clear for street cleaning,” he said.
