Post by peter on Aug 25, 2015 19:23:13 GMT -5
Innisfil councillor hopes new Gilford parking lot calms “chaos”
Rick Vanderlinde
A 33-space municipal parking lot will be built on town property this fall at Shore Acres Drive and Neilly Road in Gilford.
Innisfil Journal
By Rick Vanderlinde
A municipal parking lot in Gilford should help curb problems created by anglers and boaters who park illegally on the village’s side streets, the area’s town councillor says.
“It’s pure chaos down there right now,” Coun. Rob Nicol said. “I hope we can get this right. We’re trying to alleviate the on-street parking problems we’re having.”
Council approved a 33-space parking lot at Shore Acres Road and Neilly Road, which should be ready for ice anglers this winter. The $138,000 paved parking lot will include 18 large angled spots for vehicles and trailers, 18 standard spots and two accessible spaces.
The parking lot will be about ½ kilometre from a public boat launch at the end of Shore Acres Drive.
Deputy Mayor Lynn Dollin agrees something needs to be done for residents who are frustrated by illegal parking along their narrow streets.
“We have severe problems in the area, with police being called and altercations. It’s been a hot bed,” she said.
Jamie Forret, who lives on Beach Road, said he is glad to hear the town is constructing the municipal parking lot but believes more needs to be done to accommodate the hundreds of boaters and ice fishers who come to the village throughout the year.
“It’s a good idea, it’s a good start,” he said. “But what is going to discourage them from parking closer to the lake and not paying?”
Beach Road is a no parking zone from Nov. 1 to May 1 to keep ice fishers from clogging the roads with their vehicle and ATV trailers.
But Forret wants the town to make the parking ban year round to deal with boaters who invade the village every summer weekend.
“For me the ice fishers aren’t as bad,” he said. “But it’s crazy around here with the boaters. They don’t seem to care where they park.”
Forret has witnessed shouting matches between residents and visitors over parking.
Forret said boaters rush around the neighbourhood as they clamour to get to the small public boat launch and find a place to park.
“I think the town should shut down the launch. It’s not a proper launch anyway. People are always getting stuck,” he said. “Sometimes we go down there just to watch the chaos for some entertainment.”
Forret believes shutting down the public launch would divert more business — and some of the parking issues — to the two private marinas in the area.
The Town of Innisfil actively promotes fishing tourism in the area and directs visitors to the public launch with a sign at Shore Acres Road and Yonge Street.
Peter Sikora, who promotes fishing in Gilford through the Cook’s Bay Fishing Board, agrees the parking lot will be helpful.
But he believes the lot won’t be used as much in winter.
“A lot of the ice fishers just park their vehicles on the ice anyway,” he said. “And when it snows overnight, the parking lot won’t get plowed in the morning.”
At a maximum parking fee of $15 a day, the town estimates the lot will bring in about $12,500 a year.
A municipal pumping station will eventually replace the parking lot, but the town doesn’t expect the station to be built for another 10 years
Rick Vanderlinde
A 33-space municipal parking lot will be built on town property this fall at Shore Acres Drive and Neilly Road in Gilford.
Innisfil Journal
By Rick Vanderlinde
A municipal parking lot in Gilford should help curb problems created by anglers and boaters who park illegally on the village’s side streets, the area’s town councillor says.
“It’s pure chaos down there right now,” Coun. Rob Nicol said. “I hope we can get this right. We’re trying to alleviate the on-street parking problems we’re having.”
Council approved a 33-space parking lot at Shore Acres Road and Neilly Road, which should be ready for ice anglers this winter. The $138,000 paved parking lot will include 18 large angled spots for vehicles and trailers, 18 standard spots and two accessible spaces.
The parking lot will be about ½ kilometre from a public boat launch at the end of Shore Acres Drive.
Deputy Mayor Lynn Dollin agrees something needs to be done for residents who are frustrated by illegal parking along their narrow streets.
“We have severe problems in the area, with police being called and altercations. It’s been a hot bed,” she said.
Jamie Forret, who lives on Beach Road, said he is glad to hear the town is constructing the municipal parking lot but believes more needs to be done to accommodate the hundreds of boaters and ice fishers who come to the village throughout the year.
“It’s a good idea, it’s a good start,” he said. “But what is going to discourage them from parking closer to the lake and not paying?”
Beach Road is a no parking zone from Nov. 1 to May 1 to keep ice fishers from clogging the roads with their vehicle and ATV trailers.
But Forret wants the town to make the parking ban year round to deal with boaters who invade the village every summer weekend.
“For me the ice fishers aren’t as bad,” he said. “But it’s crazy around here with the boaters. They don’t seem to care where they park.”
Forret has witnessed shouting matches between residents and visitors over parking.
Forret said boaters rush around the neighbourhood as they clamour to get to the small public boat launch and find a place to park.
“I think the town should shut down the launch. It’s not a proper launch anyway. People are always getting stuck,” he said. “Sometimes we go down there just to watch the chaos for some entertainment.”
Forret believes shutting down the public launch would divert more business — and some of the parking issues — to the two private marinas in the area.
The Town of Innisfil actively promotes fishing tourism in the area and directs visitors to the public launch with a sign at Shore Acres Road and Yonge Street.
Peter Sikora, who promotes fishing in Gilford through the Cook’s Bay Fishing Board, agrees the parking lot will be helpful.
But he believes the lot won’t be used as much in winter.
“A lot of the ice fishers just park their vehicles on the ice anyway,” he said. “And when it snows overnight, the parking lot won’t get plowed in the morning.”
At a maximum parking fee of $15 a day, the town estimates the lot will bring in about $12,500 a year.
A municipal pumping station will eventually replace the parking lot, but the town doesn’t expect the station to be built for another 10 years