In anticipation of another busy summer season in Collingwood, staff have brought forward a list of recommendations for a permanent paid parking program at two local parks.
Sunset Point Park is one of the busiest spots in Collingwood on a hot long weekend, and that has been the case for a number of years, contributing to parking issues such as overcrowded lots, spillage onto side streets, unsafe roads for pedestrian traffic, and vehicular traffic flow problems.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the issues with what staff are calling an “unprecedented volume of people” at Sunset Point Park this past summer.
In response, council approved a staff proposal for a paid parking pilot program at the park, which on weekends from Sept. 4 to Oct. 10.
A gravel lot at the park’s east end was reserved for residents, who were still allowed to park for free. However, the town received some negative feedback on the resident lot, with residents complaining it was full of pot holes, dusty, and far from the main park.
The pilot program resulted in about $16,000 in revenue for the town, but between parks and bylaw departments, staff put in 860 hours policing parking and traffic at Sunset Point.
Based on feedback from the public, staff, and some conversations with surrounding municipalities including The Blue Mountains, Barrie and Innisfil, staff put together a report for council and recommended some changes to paid parking at both Sunset Point Park and Princeton Shores.
Staff are recommending the following:
- Permanent paid parking at Sunset Point Park and Princeton Shores seven days per week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting Victoria Day long weekend and lasting through the Thanksgiving long weekend;
- Replace existing parking payment system with the HotSpot Parking system including online passes, a smart phone app, and smart parking meters – the town has purchased three “smart parking pay stations” to be installed in time for the 2021 season;
- Exempt residents from paying for parking at Sunset Point Park;
- Dedicate the 30 angled parking spaces adjacent to the Enviro Park as resident-only parking available on first-come-first serve basis, in addition to having a resident parking pass allowing them to park anywhere at Sunset Point Park;
- Increase the parking rates to $7 per hour or $50 per day (from previous $5/hour with no full-day rate);
- Increase parking fines to $75 for not displaying proof of payment from the previous $30 fine;
- And have a seasonal non-resident parking pass for neighbouring residents of Wasaga Beach, Clearview, and The Blue Mountains.
While no specific recommendations were made regarding Millennium and Harbourview Parks, staff note they will monitor both to determine whether paid parking would be required in the future.
The revenue generated from a permanent paid parking program, should council approve it, is estimated at up to $100,000 in a year. Staff said the revenue can be split between the parking control program and the parks budget for maintenance of parks.
Council will get its first chance to discuss the report and vote on it at the development and operations standing committee meeting on April 12. It will go before the full council on April 19.
To read the 36-page staff report and recommendations, click here.
