Two new seasonal bylaw enforcement officers on bikes hit the trails and parks for the first time in Chilliwack this past week.
The focus of their patrols will be education, like reminding folks there is no smoking, and dogs must be kept on-leash.
“This summer residents will see the City of Chilliwack’s two new seasonal bylaw enforcement officers on bikes around town, on the Vedder Rotary Trail and in our many parks,” said Mayor Sharon Gaetz.
“Our ultimate goal is to educate the public in order to gain voluntary compliance with our bylaws.”
The ones wearing high-visibility vests and shorts, with ID as City of Chilliwack bylaw enforcement, do have the authority to enforce by ticketing — if they are unable to coax people into compliance.
The “seasonal” bylaw enforcement program is brand-new this year, and the two staff members started Monday.
The bylaw officers were given special training over three days, and they will be working some evening and weekend shifts, as well as weekdays, to have a bylaw presence in parks and trails at peak periods.
As well as patrolling the parks and trails on bike, they can also address some of the hotspots where there’s inappropriate parking, like parking outside parking “pockets” or blocking a hydrant or driveway.
“We will be collecting feedback from the seasonal officers as the summer gets underway and we look forward to making this program a success,” Gaetz said.
“Council is working hard to ensure our bylaw standards are being upheld. The seasonal bylaw officers are just one more tool in our public safety toolkit.”
