BARRIE, ONT. -- Another warm weekend translated into busy beaches in Barrie with cars lining residential streets, causing frustration among residents.
Some locals said they feel the city hasn't done enough to prevent out-of-towners from illegally parking on their streets.
"We want change," said Barrie resident Donna-Mae Matheson, who added she would like to see a gatekeeper at Tyndale Park.
Tyndale Road was swarmed with cars, trucks and trailers parked blocks away from the public beach on Saturday afternoon.
"They need to do towing, to send a strong message," said Noella Robert-Kappel.
The city passed motions earlier this month to step up enforcement by posting signs warning visitors of the new parking restrictions.
But Robert-Kappel said it's not enough. "People are taking their chances. They're parking, and chances are they're not going to get ticketed."
Meanwhile, Councillor Mike McCann is lobbying Ontario Attorney General and MPP Doug Downey to approve raising fines to $100 for illegal parking.
"It's a game-changer for somebody to be charged $100 for parking. They're going to think twice about parking there," McCann said.
On top of the parking issues, physical distancing is also a concern.
"Nobody is keeping social distancing, so it gets pretty crazy down there," claimed Barrie resident Abby Harvey.
"We're in a pandemic. We're all trying to shelter in place, we're trying to stay within the confines of our community, and we can't even do that because outsiders are coming here," said Matheson.
