Parking Rates Set to Rise in Woodstock

Friday, 10 July 2015 15:27

You will want to keep a close eye on your watch when parking along Dundas St. in downtown Woodstock

WOODSTOCK - You will want to keep a close eye on your watch when parking along Dundas St. in downtown Woodstock. A 2 hour time limit is currently in effect and while many city councillors don't think it is necessary some of the members were unaware that a limit was even in place. City Engineer Harold de Haan spoke to Heart FM on changes to parking that includes increased fines and raising the cost of permits. We had brought a report a while ago basically saying that we would like to feed some more money into this system, and help it be more self sufficient. "We were recommending basically some of what I consider some minor tweaks to the system. In terms of on street parking, such as along Dundas, the fine was raised to be the same as the fines that are in the parking lots, the permit parking were raised accordingly also."

The permit parking will be raised to $288 a year or $36 a month, and after the information was presented to council Councillor Jerry Acchione thinks that changes need to be made especially on Dundas St. for those wanting to shop downtown. "I really do have some concerns, people are going to only pop in one place. The concern and the real problem are the people who work downtown we've got to figure out to make them understand the 2 hour parking is in place. If they're people downtown using our establishments let them." Another issue that will be looked at moving forward is where students of W.C.I should park without getting a ticket as it is a 2 hour parking lot on Graham Street. Acchione went on to state that with the help of the BIA they will find a solution to keep people shopping locally downtown.

As numerous recommendations were put forth at the recent council meeting it was City Engineer de Haan who explained that they will work through the complaints the public may have before the regulations will begin to be implemented. "Come January 1st they will go into play, we will continue to talk to some of the concerned agencies and see what we can do to keep everybody happy. Unfortunately, it is a parking thing and some peoples wants are a 180 degrees apart and I don't think it is possible to keep everyone happy." Manager of the Downtown Woodstock BIA Kelly Morrison joined the majority of the councillors who showed their displeasure for the 2 hour parking limit on Dundas Street. Council will continue to closely monitor this issue as the January 1st deadline gets closer.