Troy Shantz
City council has approved back-in angle parking for the west side of Front Street, creating at least 15 new parking spaces downtown.
Staff had considered restoring parking meters in the core area, but the idea was shelved because of strong opposition from businesses and a price tag of nearly $450,000.
Tom Moulton, owner of Moulton’s Optical Centre, said the money would be better spent on enforcement and revitalizing parking lots.
He told council on July 9 that much of downtown’s street parking is taken up by the employees of its shops and stores. They grab prime spots that should be reserved for customers, he said, reiterating what surveys have also found.
Lax enforcement is also a problem, said Christine Yurchuk, owner of Lilith Boutique.
“All we’re asking is that Sarnia Parking Authority do their job as the posted bylaws indicate,” she said. “Ticketing will pay for someone to have that job, instead of spending another $450,000.”
Forcing drivers to feed meters again would also discourage potential patrons, she added.
Coun. Nathan Colquhoun has argued the downtown doesn’t have a shortage of parking spaces, and that “dynamically priced” paid parking would sort things out and free up prime spots for shoppers.
“If we want to see growth we need to trust best practices and research rather than the instincts of a few of the business owners,” said Colquhoun, who has ownership in several downtown establishments.
A staff report agreed with him, but cited opposition and cost as deterrents. Instead, it suggested a gradual approach to resolving the issue, which could include adding a parking enforcement officer and buying handheld licence plate scanners for more effective enforcement.
A new hire would cost $75,000 annually and the one-time equipment investment about $75,000. But that expense would be covered by increased ticket revenue, the report added.
“It comes down to enforcement … it sounds like we’re not doing the best job of doing that," said Coun. Bill Dennis.
"That’s something that has to be looked at.”
Council did, however, approve back-in angle parking for the west side of Front Street, between George and Cromwell streets.
Front Street widens out there, so no major modifications are required beyond repainting the lines. The move will create an additional 15 to 20 parking spots.