Some residents in Saint Andrews who live near a proposed parking lot beside the Van Horne Trail are saying they don’t want the project to move ahead.
Darlene Ferguson lives in the townhomes that would have their properties abutting the new parking lot, which has about 24 parking spaces.
The town has faced issues when it comes to providing ample parking in the downtown core, especially during peak summer months. The community is a Loyalist style grid without much space for parking.
“We don’t have people that need parking here,” she said in an interview. “The trail, they say, is not utilized. It’s used all year by the Kiwanis Campground, families, dog walkers, joggers, and hikers.”
Darlene Ferguson doesn’t want the parking lot to move ahead.
Ferguson said in the summer, typically, if people wish to walk there are only a few cars that park on the shoulder of the water – which is at the far end of Water Street.
“Our demographics in the summertime is 65 and over, can you imagine parking here, walking downtown, and walking back again,” she asked.
According to Google Maps, it is about a 10-minute walk, or about 750 metres to walk from the tip of the Van Horne Trail on Water Street to the nearest set of businesses in the downtown core
Ferguson said that not only is the trail heavily utilized, but it is also a very beautiful green space that should be protected in the long run.
“We have people that stop to take pictures,” she said. “So, they won’t be stopping to take pictures of the parking lot.”
Janis Lenihan also agrees the area should remain a green space, which is what it is zoned for.
“They have asked the council to support the … environment of this community and also they have three areas of focus and one area of focus is green spaces,” she said.
She said with climate change on the rise, maintaining green spaces is more important than ever.
“One way we can help, in our little way, is to save this green space,” she said. “And then we have to hold on to every space.”
Bryan Ferguson, Darlene’s husband, presented to the council on Monday – explaining his and some of the other neighbours’ positions on the parking lot.
They want to see it remain a green space – potentially an extension of Langmaid Park across the street.
Janis Lenihan wants the space behind her home remain green space.
Mayor Brad Henderson said there is clearly concern being voiced about the parking lot, both from the neighbours and what he hears in the community.
“There (were) just concerns in general,” he said. “I believe that they don’t like to look out their back window and see a parking lot, and they question if that’s really the best use of the space for the community.”
There are other options, according to Henderson, but doing another option doesn’t rule out the Water Street parking lot.
“We have a major parking concern in this community, so multiple solutions will have to get us there,” he said. “There’s not going to be one golden solution that solves the whole problem.”
Henderson said ultimately it is up to the council to decide, but wants to see a public engagement session held for public feedback.
“We’re just letting Council digest that, and if they want to proceed or not, I’m not sure,” he said. I have heard varying answers in response from council. I personally don’t doubt that if a parking lot would be there, if it wouldn’t be used, I’m pretty confident it would.
“But in the same sense, is that the most ideal location in the municipality is looking to expand parking for the downtown? That’s something that council has to consider.”
No date has been set for any public engagement sessions or when it could come back to the council for debate or a vote.
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