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The city did not immediately respond to the Citizen’s request for comment, but a city official told Gilbert in an email that “all vehicles are expected to park in designated areas which are clearly defined at Britannia.” Gilbert said a “no parking” sign or a warning would have sufficed.

“If you feel that strongly about it, put up a sign. But instead it seemed more about the tickets,” he said.

The city official said in his email that the area had been marked with a chain and curb stops, but they have been vandalized or removed by people other than city staff.

He said the city’s parks and recreation department have been informed of the complaint and will “endeavour to install some form of notification at their maintenance access to warn users.”

Bay Ward’s councillor, Mark Taylor, told the Citizen it should be “common sense” that people ought not to park their cars in the grassy area behind the diamond.

He said the gravel path is “clearly not a road,” although city vehicles will occasionally drive through to access different areas of the park, and it narrows to “what could charitably be called a cow path.”

Taylor said it’s a hazard because the area is at the top of a steep hill above a residential neighbourhood where children routinely access the park via the path on the hill.

“You can put up a sign there, but it’s kind of like putting up a ‘no parking’ sign in the middle of your front lawn,” he said. “At that point, it’s somewhat of a common sense issue that you really shouldn’t be here with a car.”

However, Taylor said he’d be happy to work with city staff to more clearly mark the area off limits if the community believes it’s necessary.

Gilbert said he feels a warning would have done the trick, but he said ticketing “hard-working parents,” many of whom were volunteer coaches and had to interrupt the game to move their cars, was overkill.

afeibel@ottawacitizen.com

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