Hundreds of parking tickets bloom on vehicle windshields during Tulip Festival in Ottawa

Special event, no stopping sign. (CTV News Ottawa)

Hundreds of parking tickets were planted onto vehicle windshields in Ottawa’s Little Italy and Dow’s Lake neighbourhood during the Canadian Tulip Festival.

More than 300,000 people visited Commissioners Park during the 11-day tulip festival to explore the colourful display of tulips in beds around the park.

Bylaw Services deployed additional officers to the area to monitor traffic flow during the tulip festival, and ‘Special Event – No Stopping – Tow Away” signs and parking restrictions were introduced in the area between Carling Avenue, Bronson Avenue, Queen Elizabeth Driveway and Preston Street.

Bylaw Services tells CTV News Ottawa officers issued 456 tickets to vehicles parked in the ‘Special Event – No Stopping – Tow Away’ zones between May 8 and 18. An additional 359 tickets were issued to vehicles for other parking infractions, including parking in excess of the time limits on streets, parking in no parking zones and parking too close to intersections.

“During the Tulip Festival, from May 8 to 18, Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) conducted targeted parking enforcement in areas surrounding festival activities to support traffic flow and reduce congestion, and ensure emergency access, pedestrian safety, and neighbourhood accessibility,” Jake Gravelle, Chief of Bylaw and Regulatory Services, said in an email.

“Strategic enforcement during large-scale events helps support a safe and accessible experience for residents, visitors, and festival attendees. We appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation as we maintained the safety and mobility of traffic throughout the festival.”

Last year, Bylaw Services officers issued 1,416 parking tickets to vehicles illegally parked around the Tulip Festival. A total of 1,111 parking tickets were issued around Commissioners Park during the Canadian Tulip Festival in 2024.

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