Town considers parking meters

Staff, committee review future parking requirements, seek comments

How would you feel about parking meters on Bridge Street in Campbellford?

Hey, don’t yell at me, it’s the municipality that wants to hear your opinion on meters and all things parking. You can email the planning department here to let them know, but maybe take a breath first. Everyone who I have mentioned the idea to has launched into a tirade.

The issue was discussed briefly at Trent Hills council’s public meeting on Tuesday when the planners mentioned that they are working with the community advisory development committee to draft a parking policy for the downtown areas of Campbellford, Warkworth, and Hastings.

The mere suggestion of parking meters drew a quick ‘no’ from councillor Rick English.

“I did hear the words parking meters and I recall when the town of Campbellford did have parking meters and I don’t believe they were very well received, and I don’t think they would be well received in the future, either,” English said.

“I appreciate the feedback, we don’t have a bylaw ready now, we are in the early consultation and feedback phase,” said municipal planner Cameron Law.

“I’m sure there will be lots more to come,” English replied.

The discussion led councillor Gene Brahaney to recall the days when the town’s two-man police force circled the streets chalking tires and checking for anyone overstaying the limit.

The municipality is looking at long-term parking issues because it expects more requests in coming years for apartments in the downtown area for properties that don’t have space for their own parking spots.

Last month, council approved a plan to add four units to 4 Front Street South, the building beside the bridge, but it insisted that the owner rent four parking spots for xxx years at the old Video 99 building nearby on Saskatoon Ave. Councillors expressed concerns about what might happen once that contract runs out.

So, the municipality is looking at whether it makes sense to rent municipal spots to landlords on an annual basis.

As well, it has reviewed and lowered parking lot requirements for factories. This occurred after Blommer Chocolate applied for its expansion and under the existing bylaw would have needed to add 200 parks spots, which probably would have meant paving over the former World’s Finest Chocolate store and the space behind it.

Instead, the town looked at what other municipalities require and realized it should lower its level. Blommer was required to add 114 spots. At the Tuesday meeting, Law unveiled a tiered system that reduces the number of parking spaces as a plant expands, because most expansions result in greater use of equipment, not huge personnel additions.

“Parking is certainly an issue in downtown Campbellford,” said Councillor Daniel Giddings. He asked whether the plan is to have short-term charges or just long-term rentals for residents or businesses.

“It’s early in the process, but I think the intention is both, there will be parking meters, perhaps, a staff member dedicated to parking, but also in some of the parking lots that we own we might be able to rent out spaces,” Law explained.

Councillor Rob Pope raised the parking issue during an October meeting and council asked the Community Development Advisory Committee to review and make recommendations.

At its meeting in November, committee member Mike Alexander and Law each made presentations on the topic. Law showed pictures that identified 222 parking spaces, both private and municipal, south of Bridge St., and 195 spaces on the north.

Alexander noted that about a third of the downtown land is now available for parking and suggested the municipality should eliminate minimum parking requirements and allow businesses or residential developers to provide the space they feel is needed.

Alexander showed a historical photo of the downtown Campbellford area and a current one. “It’s flattened, it looks like a bomb went off,” he said. “The more parking we have downtown, the less downtown we really have. Parking requirements are a barrier to affordable development.”

During the November meeting, Law said one option under consideration is allowing businesses and restaurants to take over parking spaces. English noted that this could open a can of worms and create tensions between store owners.

English said one thing that is definitely needed is signage to identify municipal parking spots.

“People in Warkworth don’t even realize there is a municipal lot,” he said.

There are no signs in Campbellford either.

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NDP now has a candidate

I have a couple of updates to recent stories. There now is an NDP candidate in Northumberland Peterborough South. Cobourg high school teacher Bruce LePage was nominated on Sunday via a Zoom meeting.

I can’t find a candidate’s bio on his webpage, but his LinkedIn page shows that LePage has been a teacher for 19 years in the International Baccalaureate program.

Bruce LePage, NDP candidate.

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Donated our Doug bucks to the hospital

My wife and I have received our $200 cheques from the province and sent the money to the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation. The bumpf attached to the cheques says the money is a rebate because of the federal carbon pricing program and high interest rates, which is silly since I already get a federal rebate that more than offsets what I have happily paid to reflect the real cost of burning fossil fuels. And interest rates are down and going downer.

But we all know a good politician never lets the facts get in the way of his re-election.