Two days after a witness reported people got ticketed for parking in permit-only zone while attending a Remembrance Day event, the city's parking boss says fines won't be rescinded.
Dale Fraser, manager of the Calgary Parking Authority, also said there's no truth to reports there were more than 20 cars ticketed.
Only two tickets were issued following a resident's complaint to the parking authority, he said yesterday.
Collingwood elementary school held a 30-minute Remembrance Day assembly on Tuesday.
Brian Sugden, one of the parents at the ceremony, said he witnessed a CPA officer issuing parking tickets.
He wasn't one of those ticketed, but he estimated more than 20 got hit with fines.
Fraser said the estimate was wrong and in fact only two were fined -- one for parking in a marked residential parking zone and another for parking in a school bus loading zone.
"It's a result of a complaint from a citizen," said Fraser.
"We didn't just drive there and respond to this."
Normally, a school notifies the CPA, whenever it has an event and vehicles are expected to be parked in its surrounding area.
"We didn't get a call from the school," said Fraser.
"We do use discretion and we certainly recognize that under exceptional times, an appropriate response will be undertaken."
During H1N1 vaccination clinics, the parking authority has been receiving complaints from residents and business areas where vehicles have parked while their owners get immunized.
"The CPA has issued zero tickets ... even though we've received requests from members of the public to enforce."
Fraser also pointed out no attendees of Remembrance Day ceremonies on Wednesday got hit with parking fines.
RENATO.GANDIA@SUNMEDIA.CA
