The self-styled “Robin Hood” of photo radar enforcement in St. Albert is once again taking aim at speed enforcement on Forest Drive in a marked playground zone.
Gerry Vercammen spent several days last winter parked on Forest Drive with a large “Playground 30 km” warning sign. Vercammen was ticketed in December 2015. His concern, he said, is the playground zone is unfairly enforced when children aren’t around.
Despite his efforts to shine light on this perceived problem, he said recently the enforcement efforts continue despite the unused playground.
“The children are nowhere to be seen on the abandoned snow-covered soccer field along Forest Drive,” he wrote in an email. “Since no one is around there is a lot more room to park the photo enforcement trucks to enforce this abandoned playground zone with inadequate signs.”
St. Albert’s peace officer program supervisor Garnet Melnyk said while he understands there might be some concern about that particular playground zone, the fact remains it has been designated as a playground zone and the city must enforce it accordingly.
“The provincial guidelines are it’s a playground zone all year long,” he said. “There’s no caveat from the province that says it’s a playground zone but if it’s winter, it’s not.”
He described a kind of err-on-the-side-of-caution rationale, saying in the event a child was using that space under the assumption it was a playground zone, a parent would expect the speed limit to be enforced.
“Maybe there’s a kid who wants to go sledding or cross-country skiing in the playground zone,” Melnyk said. “We don’t have a crystal ball.”
Vercammen, who is a retired police officer with 28 years of experience, argued that while photo radar enforcement in general can be an appropriate part of speed-enforcement operations, there are cases when it is clearly and demonstrably unfair.
“Enforcing playgrounds in the winter is a clear example of inappropriate and unfair,” he said.
The city has roughly 100 approved photo-enforcement locations, as determined in accordance with guidelines established by the provincial Solicitor General’s office and approved by the local RCMP.
These locations are based on factors including amount of traffic, how many collisions are in a location, how many pedestrians are in a location and whether there is a school zone or playground zone in effect.
Some of Vercammen’s concerns may be addressed this spring. Melnyk said the city is due for a full review of school zones, playground zones, speed limits and enforcement locations – something that must be done every three years according to provincial guidelines.
Melnyk said while he’s not an engineer and doesn’t make the final determination on this kind of review, he said changing road standards often lead to changing signage and enforcement.
A prime example he offered is McKenney Avenue west of Lacombe Lake Park. Three years ago the Riverside neighbourhood didn’t exist, but now that it has increased traffic on that stretch it may warrant a reduced speed.
“In theory, that sign now should be changed to a 50, and it shouldn’t be 60 until you get past that intersection,” he said. “That’s a prime example of where the road standards have changed with a new development.”
Melnyk said this review is scheduled for late February or early March. The review is something administration does internally and it won’t necessarily come to council for approval.
