Huntsville Council emerged from closed session discussions at its June 24 electronic meeting with a resolution to purchase the parking lot it currently uses behind the Algonquin Theatre for $650,000, plus HST and expenses.
The parking area comprises four lots—11 and 13 High Street and 10 and 12 Princess Street. The Town has been leasing the property from the owner in order to provide parking for staff and visitors to the municipal building as well as Main Street patrons.
“That property was in all likelihood about to sell and the Town decided that we needed to have that property long-term, whether it be for parking or something else, but we needed to acquire that at this time,” said Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano. “When we decided to forgo the flex parking on Main Street… which was going to cost us 1.3 million dollars, we thought well this would be a better investment in parking than the flex [parking] option on Main Street and at about half the price.”
There are no other plans for the property at this time, said the mayor. “For now it will be the same parking lot that it is today.”
During the open portion of the council meeting, Councillor Jonathan Wiebe questioned whether more parking could be created on that same property. The Town’s director of operations and protective services, Steve Hernen, said it was being used to its maximum capacity, however staff would see if some additional parking stalls could be added.
According to the resolution which emerged out of closed session on June 24, the funds for the property would be coming out of the Forbes Hill Drive Reserve. That reserve contains the money from the sale of the Waterloo building to De Novo Trust Fund in the early spring of 2018 for $3,905,000.
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Parking is indeed an ongoing issue for the Town of Huntsville. There have been many good ideas and observations noted in the above comments. Parking is a challenge in the winter months with all the snow banks and very little snow removal and is even more abysmal in the summer months when our population triples. I realize the summer months are the main focus of the Town but let us please not forget all the downtown businesses and apartment dwellers, many of whom have absolutely no parking. I sometimes think no one remembers these people, who live, work, run businesses and pay taxes in the heart of Huntsville and are ticketed constantly due to no parking for their properties. As a former business owner in town with no parking I can tell you, it is like getting slapped in the face with every parking ticket issued. We need some solutions to the parking issue now.
The prudent position would be to ensure the town’s finances are stable; as the slow recovery continues before spending large amounts of taxpayers money on parking garages etc.
A municipality cannot simply “print “ money like the federal government and continue to spend unchecked.
Yes, the lack of parking, especially accessible parking, is embarrassing as a municipality but, we must ensure that the money is available for all priorities of the town.
Thank you Mayor and Council.
Good move on the Huntsville Monopoly Board!
As this is parking already in use, there will be no additional parking created in town.
Please consider developing this into a sorely needed Parking Garage. The location & building heights around this spot suits one well. There are some very attractive designs to consider currently, many with greenery featured.
All comments are excellent and should be considered.
Is town council listening. Time will tell!
The Town now has a great opportunity to to do what they advocated for the old Empire property. Two levels of underground parking would make great sense here. With a new Library and proper Archival building on top. With the town continuing to allow commercial urban sprawl, perhaps these lots might even entertain a couple of levels of affordable and accessible housing in the town core instead of just free parking for municipal staff.
When opportunity knocks!
Build a 4 or 5 story parking garage and solve all the parking issues with great accessibility for the theatre, downtown shops and restaurants, and sport events like the Ironman.
Did the Director of Finance compare the $650,000 to the cost of a 100-year lease (payable annually)?