Council reconsiders downtown parking permits after petition

Rebecca Cheney, property owner and landlord at 56-62 Wellington St., petitions Stratford city council April 27. Cheney argued the city’s lack of overnight parking makes living downtown almost impossible, even as the city tries to intensify housing in the core.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

At the Stratford city council meeting on April 27, council unanimously voted to reconsider an earlier decision it made, approving a pilot program for overnight parking at the Erie Lot.

That decision was largely informed by the advocacy of Rebecca Cheney, property owner and landlord at 56-62 Wellington St. As she delegated that evening, the city’s lack of overnight parking makes living downtown almost impossible, even as the city tries to intensify housing in the core.

“I purchased this property and made the decision to invest in a complete rebuild,” Cheney said. “The building was tired and in some places dangerous, but it was beautiful. … I helped breathe new life into a piece of Stratford's history and have revitalized a vital piece of this core. In 2023 we opened the doors to 14 apartments, welcoming over 20 new residents who were happy and excited to make downtown their new home. I'm here tonight to tell you what happened to some of those tenants and one barrier that made living in our downtown unnecessarily difficult and therefore unfailing to many. Over the past year, I have lost many tenants, many of whom have cited parking as a primary reason for leaving.”

Cheney brought up her past tenant Adam Wadud. In March, Wadud spoke with the Times, saying he accumulated $1,650 in parking tickets between December and March 2025, unable to park at the city’s free Cooper Lot.

“It’s about a 10-minute walk to the apartment from the (Cooper) Lot, which in winter can be difficult, especially when you have a vehicle full of groceries or other items,” Wadud shared. “I feel bad for tenants with kids who have to make that commute. … It’s unfortunate because I really liked my apartment and living walking distance to work. I can’t park near my apartment as the building doesn’t have dedicated parking.”

He added he was hesitant to continue using the Cooper Lot overnight after his vehicle was damaged.

“I left my vehicle at the Cooper Lot for a week last October, and somebody dented it on the side. Since then, I am not comfortable leaving the vehicle at the Cooper Lot overnight.”

With Wadud’s story, Cheney argued a more comprehensive parking system is paramount to fixing the local housing crisis. Council evidently agreed.

As part of the new pilot program, the number of monthly permits for the Erie Lot has increased from 24 to 35. Five monthly overnight parking permits and 10 daily overnight parking permits will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis at the city clerk's office at city hall.

“To me, this is about removing a small but real barrier to living in the downtown,” said Coun. Lesley Biehn, who brought the motion to reconsider up that evening. “And this modest adjustment supports accessibility, livability … making it easier for people to choose the downtown core as their home.”

As noted, the parking in downtown Stratford is currently being investigated in a comprehensive study, the findings of which will be presented to council at a later date.

With files from Amanda Nelson, Times reporter.