A group of residents near Burnaby Hospital are submitting a petition asking the city to do a better job of enforcing parking rules in their neighbourhood – and saying they’ve been “bullied” by residents from a nearby street.
Parvin Chami is leading the campaign for residents on Kalyk Avenue whose street is under “residents-only” parking rules. Chami spoke before council recently, saying that the rules aren’t enforced and that nearby residents, including those from Curle Avenue, are parking on their street.
The petition says the residents oppose any plans to issue permits to residents.
“We have recently been informed that the City of Burnaby intends to amend the parking bylaws to require parking permits on our residential streets, with the plan to issue two parking permits per household,” reads the petition. “This is something that will have a huge effect on us and we are surprised and disappointed that such a change could be considered without any community consultation. We therefore ask that you do not change the current ‘Residents Only Parking’ bylaw and that you be careful to enforce this bylaw.”
Chami said the street was changed to “residents only” for parking because too many people parked there to avoid paying for parking at Burnaby Hospital, BCIT and other locations.
Chami said in a letter to the city that some Curle Avenue residents, including tenants, have been parking up to six cars daily on the street, taking away parking spaces from residents of Kalyk Avenue.
“I have brought this issue to the attention of Parking Bylaw Officers several times and I have been told that this space belongs to the residents of Kalyk
Avenue Only … The Curle residents and their tenants have harassed and bullied the Kalyk Avenue residents when objections have been made to them parking on the street.”
The residents are asking for more enforcement by city bylaw officers during the day and by RCMP during the evening.
