Three-hour parking to be allowed on Saturdays

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

A long-standing tradition of two-hour parking in downtown Tillsonburg will change for Saturdays only.

Town council approved three-hour parking on Saturdays after requesting a report on the matter last fall. A petition signed by downtown business owners from the Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce prompted the council decision.

Chief building official Geno Vanhaelwyn told council that municipal staff monitored traffic on Saturdays, and consulted with other municipalities and the Downtown Tillsonburg BIA for input.

“There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of pressure on Saturday on parking,” he said.

The report presented three options, including changing parking to three hours on Saturdays.

Coun. Kelly Spencer noted that there are municipal parking lots off the main street, with many of the lots unrestricted, and many visitors may not know they are there. She asked if it was an option to put signs on Broadway indicating there are parking lots.

“There are some signs with a P and directional arrows, and I think after you lived here a while, you don’t see those anymore,” Vanhaelwyn said.

Deputy Mayor Dave Beres suggested trying the three-hour limit for a year, raising a concern that people may be confused, as it differs during the week. Council passed a motion to amend the two-hour parking on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to three hours, and to report back to council in 12 months.