Ottawa bagpiper sets up GoFundMe campaign to help pay for fines

Nico Gravel has been playing the bagpipes along Booth Street for almost 10 years for people coming and going from the RBC Bluesfest music festival. 

Gravel has been busking on the street not only to share his passion and love for bagpiping, but he's also been raising money for tuition fees to continue his education with the hopes of graduating from osteopathic medicine. 

“I started busking in Scotland when i was 17-year-old and travelled around Canada and learning my craft and busking also,” he said on The Sam Laprade Show on Monday, July 11. 

On Saturday July 9, Gravel was doing his usual Bluesfest routine when he was given a fine by Ottawa by-law officers for $1,130 for “encumber, damage highway by (animals, vehicles or other means)”. He was issued the same fine, the following day, on Sunday, July 10 and asked to leave the area. 

“It's a surprise and I have never had any issues at Bluesfest before,” he said. “I have always been cordial with Ottawa by-law and Ottawa police and I didn't see this one coming but here we are.”

Gravel doesn't know if there was a complaint issued against him. 

“I don't know what is going on here, it's a little confusing,” he added. 

Gravel has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help him pay off the fines that have totalled $2,260. 

“Right now, I am trying to make ends meet, but it looks like the City isn't going to let me do that,” he said. 

In a statement to CityNews Ottawa, by-law officials said that on Thursday, July 7, Gravel was told why he would not be permitted to remain in the area, citing concerns of setting up on a roadway which could pose a hazard should an emergency vehicle need to drive through the street. 

“A location not directly in the roadway and impeding both pedestrians and emergency vehicle access would have been more suitable,” Ottawa By-law Service stated. 

By-law said the same official gave Gravel a verbal warning on Saturday, July 9 and he failed to comply, and that's when the charge was issued. The next day, by-law officials observed Gravel playing bagpipes again in the same area and said they would issue a ticket to the bagpiper. 

“It was made clear to him that if he left the area and did not return that the ticket would not be filed with the court,” the statement said. “The individual complied, and as such the second ticket was not filed with the courts. By-law and regulatory services has not issued other charges this week for busking at Bluesfest. While busking is permitted on private property, it is not permitted on city streets.”

More information is available here.

Listen to the full interview with Nico Gravel below: