WATCH ABOVE: A visually-impaired Oshawa teen has been fined $250 for having a basketball net on his lawn. Ashley Carter reports.
TORONTO – All day, everyday, Joshua Roberto practices his basketball skills outside his family’s Oshawa home.
“Since I can’t really see, I can hear the ball bouncing so it let’s me know when its close,” said Roberto.
The 13-year-old uses that trick since he’s blind in one eye and visually impaired in the other.
“Since I turned visually impaired I’ve been practicing so hopefully one day I can go to the NBA,” said Roberto.
But that dream was put on hold when three weeks ago his family was issued a $250 fine from the city of Oshawa — stating ‘basketball net on highway’.
“The basketball net’s the last straw, we’ve been getting complaints about various other things before this,” said Roberto’s sister Amanda Maciocia.
But neighbours alleged there is a different issue.
“Gas is poured on three lawns, we have flat tires, see the beautiful fence, it cost me $800 to put that up because they drive over my driveway, onto my lawn, to get to their house,” said neighbour Eva Richard.
Alleged crimes Richard has had enough of so on Friday she filed a police report.
“I put in a police report because I’m waiting for something bad to happen,” said Richard.
“We are obligated to investigate what’s out there and I’d say call us, I’d never suggest for anyone to go into a position where they’re confronting anyone else,” said Durham Regional Police Sgt. Bill Calder.
For now, the family is leaving the basketball net where it is and appealing the fine.
“It’s his passion, he plays all day. Now you want to take this away from him and crush him? It’s pathetic,” said Lisa Roberto, Joshua’s mother.
“I feel like I can’t even play on my street because I feel like I’m being pushed out of my own home,” added Roberto.
But over the weekend Joshua got a special call from Jay Triano, coach of the Canadian Men’s Basketball team, who heard about Joshua’s fine and invited him to practice with the National team at the Air Canada Centre Tuesday morning.
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