It appears that the shopping area in this community is not the only place that is suffering parking woes.
But Centre Wellington council’s committee of the whole might have come up with a solution at its meeting on July 5 for Melville Street.
The problem stems with the popularity of the Elora Centre for the Arts – and people not wanting to walk very far.
Susan Jacobs and David Simpson, who live on the southern end of Melville Street, directly across from the centre, told council there are numerous difficulties on their part of the street with parked cars.
“The main issue is when cars are parked on both sides of the street – creating a one-way traffic pattern,” Jacobs told the committee.
She and Simpson said in a letter that there is a large number of children attending various classes at the centre, and one could easily dart out in front of traffic to reach a car parked on the west side of the street.
Jacobs said the centre has a large parking lot on Melville Street, but, “Of course, no one wants to walk half a block when they can park across the street.”
Simpson said, “It is frustrating when you try to get out of your driveway. In winter, they will sit there for 45 minutes with the engine running.”
Councillor Kirk McElwain said he has talked with the centre’s general manager, Arlene Saunders, and she emailed people and asked them not to park on the west side of Melville.
“She tried to control those activities,” he said.
Councillor Bob Foster asked what Jacobs meant by a “one-way traffic pattern.”
She explained the street is narrow, and with cars parked on both sides, the road is so narrow it acts as a one-way street because cars cannot pass each other.
She noted that recent road work in the area cut down the boulevard, and when SUVs, station wagons, and pick-up trucks use the street, it gets really crowded. She added, “Arlene has done a good job” in asking people to stop parking on the west side of the road.
Simpson agreed, “It’s better.”
Councillor Fred Morris asked how many parking spaces are on the west side of the street. Simpson said there are “two-and-a-half – but they make it three. There is six in total on that side of the street.
Morris said there are four driveways on the west side.
Councillor Shawn Watters said the township is doing the final road markings and asphalt coat on the street, and wondered if the parking markings could be altered.
Public Works Director Ken Elder said he hadn’t planned on doing that, but he could see that two markings of the six spots could be painted out when that work is done.
Watters said that would limit people, but organize the parking better.
McElwain also wondered about posting Don’t Idle signs.
Simpson noted the Elora Environmental Centre is located in the arts centre, and wondered why that group had not already posted signs.
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said reducing the parking spaces and marking them could solve the problem.
Simpson said that Melville is a residential street, but with the centre operating there, “After 4pm, it’s probably the busiest street in town. That’s not what it was meant for.”
