Grey Highlands councillors want to see a permanent solution for lingering winter parking problems for several homes near Old Baldy.
The parking issue affecting several property owners on Sideroad 7B near Kimberley was in front of council again at its regular meeting on May 29.
Council received a letter from local residents Cathie and Scott Croucher and received a presentation from Vojka Glazar about the issue.
Several homeowners on Sideroad 7B - a narrow steep road that runs from County Road 13 up the escarpment, past the popular Old Baldy landmark and conservation area to Third Line A – don’t have full vehicle access to their properties during the winter month because the municipality does not plow the entire road.
The Old Baldy parking lot, owned by the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority, is available for local residents to use for winter parking at a cost of $500. Last year, council agreed to cover the cost of the parking fee for local residents who chose to enter an agreement with the conservation authority for use of the parking lot.
However, that was just for one year and the same concerns about the lack of winter access have arisen again.
“Sideroad 7B is a public road and we are taxpayers who do not have winter residence parking. We are concerned that no decision has been taken on our request for this basic taxpayer service,” Cathie and Scott Croucher said in their letter to council.
After a discussion about the issue, multiple members of council said it’s time for the municipality to work out a long-term fix for the issue.
“It seems to me we should have a permanent solution,” said Coun. Joel Loughead. “Currently, it’s sort of a Wild West situation.”
Coun. Nadia Dubyk agreed.
“We do need to just solve this,” she said.
Councillors floated the idea of a long-term agreement with the conservation authority for residents to use the parking lot during the winter months, creating a municipal parking area or fully maintaining the road in the winter.
Chris Cornfield, director of transportation and public spaces, explained that there would need to be significant road upgrades to plow it completely during the winter months.
“There are a number of issues and concerns around our actual ability to maintain it,” said Cornfield, noting that in some places the bedrock comes right through the road. “It would require some modifications to the existing road platform.”
Cornfield said a staff report about the issue was being prepared about the issue and council’s upcoming road tour would include this area.
Loughead said the time to get a solution in place is now.
“There is some sort of deal to be hammered out. We should have some sort of arrangement hammered out before this winter,” said Loughead.
Council received the letter from the Crouchers for information and the staff report on the issue will come for council’s consideration in the near future.
