Guest Article:  Lois O’Neil, City of Owen Sound

In 2008 City Council formed the Parking Review Committee to undertake an analysis of the parking downtown. The last time this was done was in 2001 by the Downtown Parking Issues Committee. City Council is aware that parking needs change and carrying out a review every few years benefits everyone. As a result of the recommendations of the Parking Review Committee there have been a number of changes to parking in Downtown Owen Sound over the past year.

The most recent review resulted in the implementation of changes to the parking effective May, 2009. Further minor changes came into effect in January, 2010.

‘Free Parking’ continues in the 800 and 900 blocks of 2nd Avenue East with a one (1) hour total maximum time limit enforced for parking in these two blocks. It is recognized that revised signage regarding the one hour time limit is needed. Council approved in principle revising these signs at the Service Analysis meeting this fall and the improved signs are included in the proposed 2010 budget.

The parking rate for all other streets is now $1 an hour with a two hour maximum time limit with two exceptions. These exceptions are the 800 block of 1st Avenue West by the Library at $1 an hour with a nine hour maximum time and the 900 block of 1st Avenue West which is considered a parking lot and subject to the same rates and time limits as all parking lots. The hourly rate for the parking lots is 50 cents an hour or $3 a day for a full 9 hours.

It has been identified that there is no signage on 2nd Avenue East to direct visitors to the downtown to the longer term parking lots. At Service Analysis, Council also approved additional signage to direct visitors to these lots. The Parking Division will be working with the DIA staff to identify the best locations for these new signs.

While it has often been expressed that parking downtown should be free, the revenue generated from parking is put back into the downtown, to improve parking downtown. Previous projects have included the construction of the parking lot in the 700 block of 1st Avenue East and plans are underway for the reconstruction of part of the municipal parking lot behind Scotiabank which will include a number of green initiatives to improve the overall appearance of the lot.

The Parking Division is fortunate to have a great working relationship with the DIA staff and we look forward to continuing to work together to make parking in downtown Owen Sound as easy and convenient as possible for everyone.

Lois O’Neill, M.P.A.
Deputy Clerk
Manager of Parking and By-law Divisions