Clarksburg artist and business owner Don Kilby has asked the Town of The Blue Mountains to address ongoing parking issues in the village.
Kilby attended The Blue Mountains council meeting on March 10 and made a presentation about parking and other issues that are ongoing in Clarksburg.
Kilby, is a local artist and the owner and operator of Kilby Gallery on Marsh Street in Clarksburg.
Kilby said the limited parking options in Clarksburg have combined with the success of the Marsh Street Centre to create a difficult situation for local business owners in the village. Kilby said often when an event is happening at the Marsh Street Centre, all the on-street parking spaces in Clarksburg are full of cars from staff and patrons attending the function.
“Businesses like mine, we might as well not open our doors that day,” said Kilby.
He said the combination of just 34 parking spaces in Clarksburg and no time limit on how long a vehicle can park in a space creates a difficult situation for Clarksburg merchants.
“My business doesn’t exist if people can’t get in and see the products I offer,” he said.
Kilby suggested a time limit for parking be introduced in Clarksburg and said similar time limits are in place in Meaford and Thornbury. He also suggested angled parking along Marsh Street, which would add the extra benefit of slowing traffic down.
Kilby also said the town should make an effort to maximize all possible parking spaces in Clarksburg. He said in one lot there are three spaces reserved for a business that left the village prior to the COVID pandemic. He also noted that there are several potential parking spaces in front of a building once used as a garage (cars could not park in front of an active garage), but that is no longer used for that purpose.
After receiving Kilby’s presentation, council unanimously passed a resolution asking for staff to report back on potential parking possibilities/solutions for Clarksburg. Council requested a report be delivered in June and directed staff to have conversations with the OPP and Grey County as Marsh Street is Grey County Road 13.
“You’ve done a wonderful job of identifying very specific issues you face,” said Coun. Paula Hope. “You’ve really opened our eyes.”