Neighbours in a quiet corner in the farthest reaches of east Maple Ridge are riled about new parking rules slapped on to their streets.
More than 100 signs have been put along the grass shoulders on 108th and 111th avenues and 286th and 288th streets.
Residents say the new signs seem to be intended to keep people from parking along roads when the Iron Mountain Music Festival, takes place this weekend just across the border in Mission.
“It’s quite frustrating,” said Victoria Wilson, who lives on 111th Avenue and adds that a total of 142 signs have been installed.
The signs are in the middle of the road shoulders and ruin a relatively safe path for horseback riders, she said.
It’s not certain if the signs are permanent or temporary. The metal poles are inserted into sleeves that have been concreted into the ground. If the signs are permanent, residents won’t be able to park along the road during the winter, when driveways are slippery, Wilson added.
“We’ve never had an issue to deal with parking in front our house, ever,” she said.
“What a waste of taxpayers’ dollars having the city put these signs up.”
Residents have been told that the city had to install permanent signs along the road in order to keep the road clear for emergency access to the festival. It’s the first year for the festival, which takes place at 18 Pastures Golf Course.
But Wilson wonders why temporary signs can’t be used, just to keep the road clear during this weekend.
“Where in the bylaw does it say that temporary signs are not enforceable?
“We have a beautiful neighbourhood and then just out of the blue to see these signs, it’s just tarnished it.”
Mo Morgan, who also lives in the area, said people are wondering why the City of Maple Ridge installed the signs.
“We’ve had tons of movies [filmed in the area] and we’ve never had that happen.”
The city hasn’t yet explained why the signs were installed.
Scott Petrie, who’s producing the music festival, said there is lots of parking on site for the festival, up to 1,600 spaces. Vehicles will be parking on the fairways, with most of the trafffic accessing the site via the Mission side, on Matheson Avenue.
Only motorcycles, RVs and handicapped vehicles will be accessing the site from the Maple Ridge side on 108th Ave.
“What we lucked out with was the weather, because it’s going to be dry.”
He’s talked to the City of Maple Ridge and he understands the its concerns about parking, and he wanted to ensure the event ran smoothly, although he was surprised when the signs were installed.
“I just feel bad for the neighbours because none of them really want them. They don’t look good.”
He’s expecting attendance to be between 3,000 and 5,000 people a day and will cut off ticket sales at 5,000 a day. The demographic to which the rhythm and blue festival is directed is the 40- to 65-year-old age group.
Petrie helped out for two years with the previous Maple Ridge Jazz and Blues Festival.
He said a few people oppose the event, but most in area are OK with it.
“It’s an older crowd, it’s rhythm and blues.”
Such events usually attract a mix of age groups.
“It’s really an electic crowd. You’ve got hippies, bikers, old, young. It’s a peaceful event. It’s not like I’m running a rave. It’s rhythm and blues so it should be fairly tame.”
