The debate about whether Huntsville has enough parking downtown resurfaced at the Town’s General Committee meeting on March 27.
The issue has been raised many times over the years. Last July, representatives of the Downtown Huntsville Business Improvement Area (BIA) appeared before Huntsville’s General Committee to ask that adding parking along Dara Howell Way be considered.
At the March 27 meeting, staff returned with a report. The report provided councillors with several different options ranging in cost from $38,000 for five parallel parking spaces to $126,000 for 15 angled parking spaces. Staff, however, noted that some of those parking spaces would encroach on green space and leave little room for emergency services.
The staff report also provided the history of the discussion and the conclusion of a June 27, 2018, report from the Streetscape consultant retained to work with the community to create a vision for Main Street redevelopment and look at alternative parking solutions for downtown. The report concluded that Huntsville’s downtown parking supply appears to be at the high end of the range compared to similar municipalities and that there is a significant supply of parking within a 2-minute walk of Main Street, with 2050 parking spaces within an 8-minute walk of the downtown.
Brandon Hall, Civil Engineering Technologist for the Town, also reminded councillors in his report that the Town’s newly approved strategic plan “…outlines the need to develop a “Parking Strategy” for the Downtown Core to address and balance the concerns of residents and businesses. With this directive, staff are recommending the Parking Strategy in the Downtown Core be completed for review and consideration prior to implementing any parking along Dara Howell Way.”
Councillor Bob Stone said he was disappointed. “I do think there’s opportunities for parking along Dara Howell Way to be added…,” he said. “I don’t want to pay for another consultant to tell us everything we already know.” He said that at budget time, he may bring forth a motion to start setting funds aside for a multi-level parking garage as a permanent solution and that parking could even be removed from River Mill Park altogether.
Councillor Monty Clouthier said he could be persuaded to approve a small number of parking spots in a small area at a low price, but it’s green space, he noted. “People will go to the Vaugh mall and walk a kilometre and a half from their car to Bass Pro and then they walk another kilometre through all the stores, that’s how big the place is, and back again, and they’re quite happy.”
Cloutier said if people walked downtown, they would be able to see the heritage buildings, the neighborhoods, and the new signage coming soon. He said the Huntsville Curling Club has parking that isn’t being used. “I just don’t get it why people will walk kilometres at a mall and they won’t walk kilometres through a beautiful town that we have.” He also said those who park in fire routes should get their cars towed. Councillor Jason FitzGerald agreed.
Councillor Helena Renwick said she’s heard from downtown merchants who are by Dara Howell Way that parking in that area is a mess with cars parking illegally. She said parking removed from Main Street during the Streetscape plan has worsened the issue. Renwick said she would be supportive of setting funds aside for a solution like a parking garage but not another study.
Hall reminded councilors that the recently approved strategic plan calls for the study.
Mayor Nancy Alcock said she does not want to see more parking on Dara Howell and said a reader strategy would use the information the Town already has, and strategies could include a parking garage.
Councillor Scott Morrison said it’s time “we get a real strategy.” He said he is in favor of having a strategy, but he doesn’t want to pay for an expensive consultant. He said the strategy could look at a parking garage as well as parking in other areas.
In the end, a majority of council agreed to include the parking strategy for consideration in the 2025 budget and to leave Dara Howell Way as is for the time being.
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I used to love shopping downtown Huntsville, now I can’t. No consideration for handicapped people who can’t walk the malls anyway. Before so much parking was taken away, I shopped a bunch of my favorite stores and ate in the restaurants in town. I don’t bother anymore. Can never get parking close enough to get there. Not everyone can walk that far from parking. I am now forced to shop big box stores, not because I prefer it, but because I can get parking. I miss supporting small local shops. That is not possible for me and many others now. Who ever is making these stupid decisions does not care about the residents who built this town and want to support it. I guess money talks, not common sense.
Huntsville has no parking problem, just park wherever you want! Raise your hand if you’ve ever seen anyone issued a parking ticket…right, that would be zero. Council has no problem slapping an excessive 10% property tax increase on struggling families but god forbid they should raise a dollar through bylaw enforcement.
A lot of good points are raised in these discussions. From the aging members that have supported and paid taxes in this town for years to the fact that you are trying to bring people to the down town.
The councilor that said he sees no problem with people going to Bass Pro and Vaughn Mills and walking a kilometer here and there to shop should be able to walk 5 min to get to a parking space. What is wrong with you??? Open your eyes or get a new prescription. Bass Pro and Vaughan Mills is flat as a board and indoors temperature controlled. Main St Huntsville is up hill down hill and 35 or better in the summer.
Figure out the parking problem or there won’t be a problem to fix cause all that money will keep going south to a climate controlled mall instead of here in this town.
But that is OK. Cause if there is no money spent here there is no need for a town and definitely no need for a councilor who can’t see the parking problem…
We did have more parking before council took a bunch of parking away from downtown. A two story parking lot will look hideous and not in tune with muskoka. We are now practically a city and not a town. Disappointed in council.
The catch 22 is that if you develop a beautiful town centre that people love to visit, or reside in, it is not full of cars, it is designed for pedestrians, then car parking becomes an issue. Whenever I have visited such desirable towns there is always a walk from the places to park to get to the place you want to wander in……which is never prioritized for cars. You can’t have both. Pedestrians must be the priority when design decisions are made. Every attractive town I have ever visited supports that position. Ours can be no different if we want to maintain and improve the attractiveness of our town.
Yes make allowances for the handicapped. Yes make town employees and downtown business workers park away from our public parking especially in the busy season. But make other visitors walk a little just like they do at any of our malls without complaint.
Don’t put more parking downtown. Get people off their lazy butts and enjoy the walk in our beautiful town. It may help with much needed weight loss!
Expropriation of the crappy lot in front of the brewery by the bridge. It has sat for decades unused and the owner isn’t developing it anyway.
Really. There is just one block of parking spots that were eliminated. I like the wide sidewalks. I wonder which stores the handicapped and elderly are trying to access.
However, I do agree that the town using the parking lot on High street for the trucks and employees parking should be stopped.
The idea to build a parking lot where the old empire was lol ,might not hold up. There seems to be spots in it caving in, im not sure it was torn down correctly. The basement in that building was huge and very high. Maybe the new owners will have to reexcavate to find out whats going on under the surface.
I agree with the comments about the lack of handicapped parking and lack of drop off spots for people in wheelchairs or with walkers.
They often need someone to stop the car, get out and assist them to get out of or into to a vehicle.
That means the driver has to stop the car, with flashers on to assist.
This eliminates all the Main street restaurants and businesses especially those down near Brunel Road.
And if a person has pain on walking, they cannot walk 8 minutes to a business or restaurants.
Consequently, these restaurants and businesses lose out on all the business from residents with disability or age related mobility issues as they have to go to other locations that do have accessible parking
The point’s made thus far by townspeople are spot on. Why can’t town leaders and those employed to look out for the town and it’s people realize this. The population in town is aging, young people can’t afford to live here any longer so some/many of the suggestions from town hall are not realistic out of the gate
Town fathers could always expropriate downtown property and create additional parking places?
Did anyone notice, on the Easter holiday weekend the motels and hotel parking lots were all most deserted.
Gas is now $164 L . Will the tourists come for Victoria day or summer holidays? What if Pharmasave and Royal bank closed their parking lots? No wonder the big box stores parking lots are always over crowded with vehicles and shoppers. Beautifying downtown Huntsville has destroyed the downtown. A good idea gone wrong?
Between the Bell building and Mitchell’s Funeral Home there is a good sized parking lot that we use frequently. It is within easy walking distance of Main Street and the business there. BUT. It is also the parking spot for the Town of Huntsville maintenance trucks and cars. Can’t these vehicles be moved to somewhere else and open up the 6 or 8 spots?
Right on June and Darlene !!!
As a short term fix, why can’t the Council approach the owners of the property on the corner of Main and Centre (across from Shell, post office and CIBC) and set this lot up as parking? It is a bit of an eye sore now and if it was properly grated, there could be numerous parking spots there. Owner of the lot could charge a reasonable flat rate if they wanted to recoup cost to prep the lot.
Some people forget our town is full of older people using walkers and if we are taking them places we need to be able to drop them off and pick them up near were they are going. Which leaves many of the restaurants on Main Street out and businesses too, as there is never a parking place or even a place to pull in and unload.
Parking was fine prior to those so called improvements downtown. That being said why not convert the Empire site into parking while using planters along it’s edges to soften the look. Just a thought until someone actually decides to develop the lot which has now been an eyesore for over 10 years!!
What about the handy capped . There should be more spots on main street. Its fine to say people will walk a mile to go into the malls . I cant walk block to get to my bank if I can<t get a spot near the bank ,I either have to circle around or come back another day . Some of the people who are making these ideas should try walking with a cane or better still use a wheelchair and then see how you like main street.
Long term you may want to look at the parking solution downtown Oakville implemented. Electronic signage on the main routes into downtown Oakville lists the parking areas, indicates direction those lots are located and provides real time open parking spot availability. No new parking lots have had to be added!
I would rather you consider installing a full stoplight where the “inadequate flashing pedestrian crossing light” is ( my opinion ), so you would move pedestrians safely on TWO sides of the street at once, not just one corner. Drivers are stopping in mid intersection, sometimes not stopping due to lack of timing and vehicles are coming up from River Mill parking and having a difficult time turning left. Drivers in cars have a difficult time seeing traffic coming downtown due to parked vehicles in front of Pharmasave (this is due to the wider sidewalks I believe).
A full stoplight with a left turn option would alleviate many problems. Many pedestrians do not use the flashing crosswalk at all or improperly. And drivers are impatient as well.
A full stoplight would be safer for both pedestrians and drivers.
We need better enforcement. I understand there is a balance when you are a tourist town, but illegal parking on Dara Howell is out of control. Vehicles need to be ticketed and/or towed. It is the same with off-lease dogs. The problem is rampant. I have brought this up many times and councillors have promised to address the issue but nothing has changed. You can walk around McCulley any day of the week and witness the problem first hand. Even better signage would help – at McCulley and on Dara Howell. It makes no sense to have bylaws if there is no enforecement. It only punishes those of us who follow the bylaws. And don’t get me started on heritage buildings. No enforecement. Just a sad joke.
Of course we need more parking. That’s not the question. Don’t just put a handful of spots on Dara Howell. Put a very large lot a few blocks away, with proper signage, and that should take care if it. Why complicate matters?
We had ample downtown parking at one time. Then the so called experts used the streetscape plan which only worsened the problem or should I say destroyed downtown parking. The merchants/customers suffer!
A parking garage? We are dealing with people that can’t even install a fancy outhouse.
There are options available. If a small walk from and assigned parking area is refused by the car owner, than tag and remove the offending vehicles. Stop throwing taxpayer money away on pipe dreams.
There is light at the end of the tunnel?