Going to Savary Island for the weekend? Visitors should be cautious or may find their vehicles impounded.
It’s a problem that happens every summer, but this year, police have been stepping up enforcement of cars illegally parked on the highway blocking bike lanes and driveways.
“Historically parking in Lund has been a huge problem and we’re investigating anyway possible to solve it,” said Sergeant Rod Wiebe of Powell River RCMP. “We’ve become more hands on and haven’t left it in the hands of the tow companies.”
Since August 1, the police have a new policy of identifying which parked vehicles to tow.
The problem stems from the influx of tourists who don’t want to pay for limited parking spaces.
“Lund is a very small place and every August long weekend this happens,” said an unnamed employee for Dave’s Parking, a car park service in Lund. “People park on the street because they don’t want to pay $7 per day.”
Patrick Brabazon, Powell River Regional District Area A director, agrees.
“There is more than adequate parking there,” said Brabazon. “It’s just like Vancouver. If you’re going to park your car for two weeks, you’ve got to expect that you’re going to pay for it.”
But for Sechelt resident Tom Mercer, who went to Savary Island with his daughter for the weekend, there was nowhere to park and he was in a rush to make the last water taxi.
Mercer returned on August 4 to find his car towed. He said his daughter was lucky and caught a ride with a tow truck driver to the impound yard to retrieve the car, but the whole situation caused him to be upset.
“[Police] are doing their job and I sympathize and understand that,” said Mercer, “but the thing is there should have been 200 cars towed before mine. I’m a little bitter about that.”
Mercer said that it was not at all obvious that parking was prohibited where his daughter’s car was parked and that he had to walk 36 paces to find a faded six-inch no parking sign with a small arrow.
Powell River RCMP report that they were called to Lund on August 4 after receiving three complaints about illegally parked vehicles. Thirteen vehicles were towed, 12 of which were in a no parking zone and one was parked too close to an intersection.
Dave’s Parking operates a valet service and has six lots and room for about 500 cars, but those lots are primarily used for longer term parking.
“For the little one or two-day warriors that come up, there’s not going to be a spot,” said the parking lot attendant. “It’s happening during the summer, but it all culminates on the August long weekend. It’s like a big parking lot on Christmas Eve. People park all over the place.”
The police have stepped up enforcement of parking at the end of Highway 101, worked with the regional district and the ministry of transportation and infrastructure to post new signs.
“It’s a safety issue,” said Brabazon. “We just don’t want people being forced into the traffic of highway because the cars are blocking the road.”
He added that the regional board supports the RCMP’s new enforcement strategy and ministry’s signs to educate drivers. He has also had smaller signs made and posted at the wharf and at the water taxi reminding people to make sure that they’re not parked illegally.
New parking signs have been posted including one that, “makes it very clear illegally parked vehicles will be towed,” added Wiebe.
