Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Municipal council directed administration to return to the next committee of the whole with a revised implementation plan, including options for the downtown core.
This would be prior to initiating the paid parking pilot project.
The decision came after a discussion about the positives and negatives of implementing the pilot project in town during council鈥檚 committee of the whole meeting on March 9.
The goal behind implementing a pilot project rather than a full scale community-wide implementation is to reduce the risk or impact of unintended consequences.
As well, it would enable community involvement and allow for the development of data that can have bearing on future expansion of paid parking.
There are 449 stalls in defined parking lots on municipal property across the community and 365 on-street spaces located in the central business district.
The presented 2021 pilot project proposed to implement paid parking in two defined parking lots.
The first is between Connaught and the railway, adjacent to the public washrooms, and the second is located at the Hazel RV lot.
Together, these two lots contain a total of 126 regular stalls, 61 RV stalls and two disabled stalls.
Coun. Jenna McGrath said a committee needs to provide input about the subject.
鈥淎lso, I鈥檇 like to see our seniors and residents involved,鈥� she said.
Coun. Rico Damota said it鈥檇 be good to have experts provide suggestions about the matter instead. He also asked why visitors would choose a less-congested area where they have to pay for parking, instead of a more congested but free space.
Coun. Scott Wilson said he鈥檇 like to see an additional option of paid parking in the downtown core, maybe at a reduced rate in the parking areas.
鈥淭here鈥檚 concern about the tentative nature of this pilot project and a lack of attention to possible outcomes,鈥� added Coun. Paul Butler. 鈥淧eople are going to look at these two paid parking lots鈥nd look for other places to park.鈥�
鈥淭he pilot project should primarily focus on the downtown, which is paid, or signage this year,鈥� Journault said. 鈥淲e should be concentrating on that area.鈥�
Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the motion made.
