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Editor,
I was visiting Meaford (my parents are longtime residents) and I had the unfortunate idea that it would be enjoyable to sit by the waterfront and read my book.
I went to Memorial Beach to park and the QR code wasn’t working, and I couldn’t get service to download Honk, a parking app that requires one to sign-in, make an account, provide personal information, and input your credit card. I moved away from my vehicle to where I could get two bars of cell service and was trying to sign up when I looked up and I had a $50 ticket. I showed the bylaw officer I was having trouble with the app and I was only a short distance away from my car to get service. She said, too late, you got a ticket. I looked at the ticket, it can be paid in person or by sending a cheque by mail. No online payment options were provided.
I moved along to Christie Beach and there were more QR codes and another website. At least it seemed legitimate, it was a conservation site. But yet again enter another credit card to a third-party site and my Rogers spotty service wasn’t cooperating so I moved on.
I arrived in Collingwood, and here I had to download HotSpot parking app, sign up, and provide my credit card info. I decided to leave the area and return home.
I understand paying for parking, I had coins and a credit card that I would have paid with. I will not provide personal information like my licence plate, email and put my credit card into three separate systems to enjoy the Georgian Bay waterfront.
Enjoying a beach in that area is a privilege reserved for those with smartphones (that have data), are tech savvy with strong cell service, and, of course, you must have a credit card. It is beyond a privilege, it's elitist and discriminatory. How much do Honk and Hotspot make? Third-party providers get a lot of personal information about you just to sit by the lake.
If you want parking revenue, install meters that take coins, debit and credit cards.
I hope tourists stop coming to the area, (that includes visitors visiting residents) then maybe the small town municipalities will get the message. But then maybe not, they will just keep hiring people to give out tickets to those of us that take our eyes of the car while we try to figure out these apps and possibly move out into the open to get stronger cell phone service to pay for parking when we have coins, debit and credit cards in our wallets.
Disgraceful.
Sarah Ross
Mississauga, Ont.
