A Simple Way For Scofflawers To Give Back To Community

Can you imagine how much nicer a Christmas a lot of people would have if they did this in Toronto......

Town toy drive a 'fine' idea
Offenders in Whitchurch-Stouffville can skip paying cash for parking tickets and give gifts for kids instead
By KEVIN CONNOR, TORONTO SUN

Jim Ramsden was livid when he received a parking ticket from the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville yesterday morning until he discovered it was an opportunity to be one of Santa's helpers.

The town 40 km north of Toronto kicked off a program yesterday in which parking violators can have their ticket cancelled if they bring a new, unwrapped toy that is worth the value of the fine to the municipal office.

"When I saw the ticket I felt like crap and had all these negative thoughts," Ramsden said.

"When I saw the notice that you could choose to donate a Christmas toy for (an underprivileged) child instead of paying the ticket, my mood totally changed. I had never felt so happy."

TOY CARS

Ramsdem went straight to a toy store and bought toy cars for three children.

"This is such a positive thing. I think there should be a challenge to other municipalities to do the same thing," he said.

Whitchurch-Stouffville borrowed the toy idea from Kingston because the town had problems with overnight parking, which interferes with winter maintenance programs.

"We have no idea how many toys we will get, but we thought it was a great idea," Keith Saunders, the town's bylaw enforcement officer, said.

The toys will be given to the local Lion's Club toy drive.

Saunders said tickets also can be cancelled if people bring in non-perishable items for the food bank.

But, don't forget to bring the sales receipt because the donation has to be worth the cost of the ticket.