Downtown property owners seek improvements to residential parking options

Downtown property owners are calling for adjustments to Stratford’s parking programs to better meet the needs of residents living in the core.

Earlier this week, Rebecca Cheney, property owner and landlord at 56-62 Wellington St., raised concerns in an email to city staff about recent changes to the Erie Street parking program. While she acknowledged progress, she said the current approach does not fully address the realities faced by downtown residents.

“I have been advocating for a workable downtown residential parking solution for years,” Cheney wrote. “I was encouraged when the Erie Lot overnight permit program was introduced, and I want to acknowledge the work that has gone into getting it this far. However, the current program does not solve the problem that downtown residents are actually facing.”

Council approved updates to the Erie Street parking program at its Jan. 26 meeting, including an increase in available monthly permits and the introduction of a new overnight parking pilot.

The number of monthly permits for the Erie Street lot increased from 24 to 35. The overnight pilot includes five monthly overnight permits for downtown residents and 10 daily overnight permits, available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Under the program, overnight permit holders can park from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m., aligning with the start of paid parking hours.

Cheney and other downtown property owners say the program is a step forward but does not yet reflect how residents use parking on a daily basis.

“The overnight-only structure (6 p.m. to 9 a.m.) does not reflect the reality of how people live,” she wrote. “Downtown residents work day shifts, evening shifts and rotating hours. They want the ability to leave their car parked and walk to work, to errands or to enjoy the very downtown that the City of Stratford is working hard to keep vibrant. The current permit forces residents to either move their vehicle by 9 a.m. or pay for additional daytime parking – making it functionally useless for a large portion of the people it was intended to serve.”

Cheney said parking challenges have had an impact on tenant retention, including former tenant Adam Wadud, who accumulated $1,650 in parking tickets between December and March last year, during a period when winter conditions made parking in the Cooper Lot difficult.

“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 wrote in an email to the Times. “I feel bad for tenants with kids who have to make that commute.”

Wadud said the situation contributed to his decision to move out of the downtown core.

“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.”

Cheney is asking council to revisit the program and consider options similar to the York Street parking lot, which allows downtown residents to purchase a pass for 24-hour access.

“I understand that Stratford is a celebrated tourist destination and that the city has a legitimate interest in ensuring visitors have access to downtown parking during the day. That is a reasonable priority,” she wrote. “But I would ask council to consider this: tourists visit Stratford. Residents live here, pay taxes here and sustain the downtown economy every single day of the year – not just during festival season.”

The Times reached out to city staff, who say a comprehensive downtown parking study is almost underway, led by external consultants, to better understand both short- and long-term parking needs in the core.

The study, the first since 2016, will examine changing demand, including the increase in residential development, and help inform future parking programs and planning decisions.

While no immediate changes to the Erie Street program are planned, staff say the findings are expected to guide improvements to parking management in the downtown core once complete.