Saanich News, July 26, 2013

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Circle tour

Police stage 24 hour ride at UVic for Tour de Rock Page A3

NEWS: Saanich owns majority of Haro Woods /A4 ARTS: Local music beat hits Victoria libraries /A9 SPORTS: Ex-Shamrock aims for sportscaster job /A13

SAANICHNEWS Friday, July 26, 2013

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Hotrodders furious after targeted ticketing Royal Oak centre clamps down on decade-old classic car social after parking woes, merchant complaints Edward Hill News staff

Every Saturday night they roll into the Royal Oak Shopping Centre – Ford pickups from the 1930s, deuce coups, Packards, 1950s Chevys. For more than a decade, Francelli’s Coffee House has been the social hub for classic car collectors from across Greater Victoria. But last Saturday, the regular summer meet and greet went sour. After Victoria’s classic car regulars basked in the glory of polished chrome at Northwest Deuce Days, they cruised to Francelli’s for the 5 p.m. coffee. It didn’t take long for Robbins Parking staff to start ticketing cars – hotrods specifically, according to witnesses. Robbins staff handed out less than a dozen parking violation tickets before 30 or 40 classic car collectors drove off. Bob Carter, 68, owner of a 1934 Ford pickup, was barely able to order a coffee. “I walked outside Francelli’s and Robbins was giving me a ticket – I said it’s three hour parking. They just said it’s not allowed. They wouldn’t answer my questions,” Carter said. He refused to let the ticket agent touch his truck. “(Robbins) kept asking ‘who

is in charge of the car show?’ Nobody is in charge. It isn’t a car show. Everyone kept telling them it isn’t a car show,” said Leslie Hume, owner of an original-green 1949 Austin A40, and a regular at Francelli’s. “It was definitely discrimination. Any hotrod they were writing up a ticket.” For many of the classic car owners, the tickets, worth about $32, are a shocking slap to the face by Hansbraun Investments, property manager of seven shopping centres in Saanich. Most of the Saturday night hotrodders are professionals and seniors – the car scene is coffee and sandwiches, not beer and doughnuts. “These aren’t young kids screeching around. These guys are lawyers, doctors, police, old guys with passion for cars. It really is a community,” said Andy Collins, owner of Francelli’s Coffee House for the past two years, which has walls packed with photos of classic cars from locals. “These guys are customers, they spend money here, they are local and all shop here during the week. Why would a lease company try to push business away? The Saturday night car show has been here for years and suddenly they don’t like it?” Hansbraun distributed a letter to Royal Oak Shopping Centre

Edward Hill/News staff

Art Wood, left, Larry Zilinksy and Bob Carter stand with Zilinsky’s 1932 Ford Roadster. The three have regularly attended an informal gathering of classic car owners at the Royal Oak Shopping Centre for years, but are upset the mall management is trying to drive them out.

“These aren’t young kids screeching around. These guys are lawyers, doctors, police, old guys with passion for cars.” – Andy Collins Francelli’s Coffee House merchants in May that said the weekly car shows have never been permitted, they create liability and safety issues, and have a negative affect on businesses and customers. The company warned that vehicles would be ticketed or towed, effective May 25. Victoria Shannon, with Hansbraun Investments and the property manager for Royal Oak Shopping Centre, said the clas-

sic cars, at times more than 100, monopolize too much space, to the point where owners have put up caution tape and brought out lawn chairs. “The car show has been an unauthorized event at the centre for many years. It’s never been allowed and no one asked permission,” Shannon said. “We’ve had so many issues over the years with tenants saying the parking is full and that it’s impacting customers.” Shannon said eight parking tickets were issued Saturday, and two have since been rescinded. The ticketing came after a period of requests and warnings the car show isn’t a permitted event. “I had put it off, but I’ve been hearing from tenants that its getting worse,” she said. “We try not to discriminate against classic cars, at the same

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time we can’t let the event take over the parking lot every Saturday afternoon. “It is really difficult as a property manager when one group feels entitled to use the property and not ask permission and doesn’t follow the rules.” Larry Zilinksy, owner of a 1932 Ford Roadster, said he personally talked to merchants to gauge the level of support for the weekly coffee event. Some are against it, but most are in favour, he said. “The merchants say they support (the cars). It brings in money and people,” Zilinksy said. “We thought things had settled down. That was two months ago, but all of a sudden Saturday night there were tickets – on the Saturday night of Deuce Days.”

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