Ontario Family Fined $880 For Rollerblading In An Empty Parking Lot

An Oakville family was hit with a hefty fine for rollerblading this weekend. The Nelsons were told that their afternoon outing violated Ontario social distancing orders. Todd Nelson believes a ticket wasn't necessary, and that he and his three sons should've been educated instead.

Todd Nelson told Global News that he and his sons were blading around the parking lot of the Glen Abbey Community Centre on Friday, April 10. He says they were the only ones there.

The four of them were approached by a bylaw officer 45 minutes later, who told them they needed to go.

“I just said, ‘Who are we hurting?’" Nelson reportedly told the officer.

"‘Oh, you’re not going to be like that, are you?’ And I said, ‘I’m just asking a question,’ and that was it. He said, ‘Give me your ID’, and next thing you know we got a ticket.”

According to Global, the family got an $880 ticket. They reportedly violated the emergency order issued by the government of Ontario, which includes the closure of leisure buildings and outdoor recreation centres amid the virus.

The Glen Abbey Community Centre website states that the location is in fact closed.

Just a day earlier, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton issued a statement to remind residents in the city that "closed means closed," with a list of all the city's shutdowns.

"The Province has established fines of $750 or more for those who violate the emergency order. This order applies to gatherings on private property as well as public property," reads the statement.

Still, the Todd family wishes this could have been a moment for education instead of a penalty.

“In terms of, you know, the spirit of social distancing, it was just our immediate family,” said Todd.

“I think there was an opportunity for education, maybe, instead of a ticket," he added.

Cities around the GTA are cracking down on social distancing in many different ways. The City of Toronto, for example, has a two-metre distance bylaw in place, with fines of up to $5,000 for violations.

Toronto's mayor has even thought of limiting sidewalks to one-way traffic to mitigate crowding on busy streets.

However, people still find ways to head outside despite warnings and hefty fines. Toronto Police have been turning hundreds of people away from city parks and continue to issue many tickets.