Parking in Public Places

There was an All Candidates Meeting Tuesday in Dwight. An excellent turnout, which is promising, and indicates interest in the process. That's a great thing. One of the candidates suggested that elections are about Character. Integrity. That's true. I strive to be open minded and honest. I believe it is no secret where I stand on any given issue. into that decision making goes a lot of thought, a lot of research, a lot of listening, checking facts, learning the history behind the process that got us where we are. That said, when new evidence and argument can be brought to the table, I can be persuaded to change my viewpoint. At the end of the day, if the argument is not strong enough to sway me, I am willing to agree to disagree on issues, and continue to work forward.

A question was posed from the floor to me, about the issue of parking permits at Norway Point Park. Why did I "lead the charge" against this, a potential revenue stream for the township?

Well... here is the thing. I do not believe that the Township is in the business of providing parking spaces on public lands for a select group of people. I believe that anything done at an access point must be equitable for everyone -- it cannot be "more equal" for one group. We received some excellent legal advice on this matter during the process. I listened very closely. Asked questions. The majority of Council felt that this was a not business we were in, as a Township.

One proposal brought to Council involved a very complicated lottery system of parking permits. I did not, nor do I believe now, that system would address the needs of the water access group. Nor did they, themselves. They spoke strongly against that lottery system -- which was the only "fair and equitable" distribution of parking spaces our well-trained municipal staff were able to devise. The alternative Municipal Access User Agreement was a cumbersome concept, that would need to be spread to every water access point in the Township to be fair. It would be difficult to monitor and to administer.

The proposal carried a price tag in the range of $115,790 in the first year. I don't think that's a reasonable amount, nor do I believe it would be just to shift that cost to the water access users involved. I still think there are better avenues, left unexplored through the committee meetings.

Through the Norway Point Advisory Committee meetings we spent (according to figures from Treasury) @$2900 on barriers, $4448 on legal, $4789 on a potential Master Plan, and 50% of the By Law budget, which amounts to @$3300. No other options seemed to be considered other than how to institute a permit system for cars on this site.

I am not a Marina operator, nor can I tell from a glance at their site plans whether they have capacity within their business to take more customers. I rely on their business knowledge for that information. I believe that our marina operators are honest, fair minded folk, with character and integrity, so I do not doubt them when they tell me that they have spaces to fill in their businesses. I also do not doubt that these spaces may not be as conveniently located as Norway Point. Living on Islands brings both benefits and challenges, which is reflected in lower assessments.

In 1999, during my very early days on Council, a small committee was struck, chaired by Janet Peake, to look at this very problem. There was no consensus of opinion, no solution presented at that time that was viable, and the status quo was allowed to remain. For 25 years, we have permitted free long term parking on public lands. Over the years there have been some incidents and questionable behaviour from both sides -- those needing water access who felt the docks and parking spots were their's by right, as well as those who felt they should have equal access to parking and docking spots here.

The record will show a vote 5 to 2, with the two dissenting votes being those Councillors who also sat on the Norway Point Advisory Committee, Marg Casey and Janet Peake. There was no 'charge' to lead -- the majority of Councillors were outspoken that we were not in that business, nor did we wish to proceed with a permit system.

Council has given a reasonable amount of time for alternative arrangements to be made. 72 hour parking will come into effect on this site in May of next year. Is this a perfect solution? No. Is this a perfect world. Don't we all wish.

Perhaps there are some other avenues that can now be looked at, without the blinders of driving towards a permit system that was rejected so strongly at the Council table, but at the end of the day, Public lands are for the Public, and I am willing to stand behind my decision.