Some Barrie residents are tired of dragging their basketball nets off the street when the kids are done playing, so they are pushing for the city to change the bylaw.
"A number of residents last year - and this year - get quite frustrated with the corporation, that they can't have basketball nets on the street," says Barrie Councillor Mike McCann.
Currently, residents can't leave their basketball or hockey nets on the boulevard, past the sidewalk, which is city-owned property. They also can't leave them on the curb because the city property extends six-feet from the road. Barrie mom, Lisa Samuelson says it's too dangerous to have the kids playing in the driveway. "For safety reasons, to have the kids playing on the actual driveway, it rolls down, then they're chasing it into the street," she says. She says it's safer for kids to play in the street where motorists can see them, and they can see motorists.
Tammy Banting, with the city's Management of Enforcement Services, says residents are welcome to have nets on the street or curb while they are in use, but they can't be left out at all times. "We've come across nets, as an example, that have toppled over, and our officers have turned the corner onto a street, and it's laying in the middle of the road."
Councillor McCann wants to find a way to allow the nets to stay. "I was a kid, grew up in Barrie, and I spent my life on city property playing hockey, tennis, and it would be great if we could have that type of culture in 2019."
McCann asked the city at a recent council meeting to draft a report looking into the possibility of allowing the nets at all times.
"For the report, we will look at the overall safety of both the community or motorists, as they're going by, we will look at potential liabilities," explains Banting.
Once the report is presented, councillors will take it to a vote on whether to take action to change the bylaw.
