Overnight Winter Parking in Effect from December 1st to March 31st

That time of year has rolled around again; winter parking restrictions start on Sunday.

Owen Sound Police Service Inspector Stephen MacKinnon stated, “We wish to remind the residents that the section of the city’s Traffic By-law, which prohibits on-street parking from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. from the 1st of December to the 31st of March (inclusive), takes effect this Sunday. Section 3.5.15 of the by-law, while designed to allow for easier clearing of snow from the city’s streets, does not require that snow must have fallen overnight. Vehicle owners found in contravention of the by-law are subject to a $40.00 parking fine and the potential of having their vehicle towed at their own risk and expense.”

There is also no overnight parking in the city’s municipal parking lots, from 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. (or 7:00 a.m. depending on the location of the lot), unless the owner has purchased and displays the appropriate overnight parking permit. Signs are posted at the entrances to each lot.

The exception are the emergency overnight parking spaces in the municipal parking lot in the 800 block of 3rd Avenue East, which are available for motorists who are storm stayed in the city due to heavy snowfalls or icy road conditions.

“There are ten spaces allocated directly behind the building situate at 828 – 3rd Avenue East, that are used typically by visitors who come to the city and find they cannot leave because of the road conditions or the highways being closed,” said MacKinnon.

There is a stipulation in the by-law that the storm-stayed driver contacts the Owen Sound Police Service to advise them of the need to park in an emergency parking space. The driver would be required to leave the make, model, colour and licence plate number of their motor vehicle, as well as their name and a contact number where they could be reached.