Duane Hicks
Town council decided Monday night to take another look at how downtown parking spaces are designated.
The Planning and Development executive committee had recommended council amend the Traffic Control Bylaw to allow for a proposed loading zone for H&R Block on the 500 block of Portage Avenue, as well as amend to allow for a handicap parking space in front of Service Canada.
But Mayor Roy Avis said the town has to be cautious with how many parking spaces it designates as such–and how many spaces it leaves for general parking.
“There seems to be quite a few requests in the last few years to have parking downtown as ‘loading zones’ by local merchants or people working in the downtown area,” he noted.
“This takes away from parking in the downtown core.”
Mayor Avis said he would like to see council work with the bylaw department to review the issue because as it stands now, it seems people can come forward and, for $300 a year, essentially get their own parking spot.
“When they talk loading zone, does that mean a car can sit there all day long?” he asked.
“I don’t think that’s governed in the bylaw–that they can or they can’t,” the mayor remarked, adding he feels a loading zone should mean a vehicle only can be in that spot temporarily and then move on.
“I get the feeling that sometimes we’re dedicating the loading zones and they’re using them for personal parking,” Mayor Avis said, reiterating that’s not what they’re intended for.
Council agreed to put its decision on hold for now, and refer both requests back to the Planning and Development executive committee so the issue can be discussed further.
Mayor Avis clarified that reviewing these two amendments does not mean they won’t be approved.
But in the case of the Service Canada request, for example, it might be better to have a handicap spot on the south side of the post office as there would be no snowbanks to navigate, he suggested.
This also would leave a spot open on Scott Street for general parking use.
“We don’t have a good reason to turn these down right now,” Mayor Avis conceded. “But I think, going forward, some day we have to put a stop to it and have better control.
“And the only way we’re going to get it is to review the bylaw.”
