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The Voice of North Grenville
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Sign Up! November 14, 2024
Vol. 12 No. 45
Pay for Parking a surprise novelty in Kemptville
The new scanning machines, and the old parking meters.
by David Shanahan Parking has always been an issue in downtown Kemptville. It has caused serious debate within the community, and is regularly pointed to as a major obstacle in bringing shoppers and visitors to the downtown area. People have shown a great reluctance to make the
November 14, 2024
walk from Riverside Park, where there is available parking, to Prescott Street. The renovation of the old Town Hall on Water Street resulted in the loss of parking spaces beside the Library. The fact is that parking spaces are at a premium, and the generosity of Rob Thompson making his empty lot on Clothier Street freely available for parking certainly eased the strain.
But that lot has been sold, and the new owner, not, it seems, a resident of North Grenville, has installed scanning machines by which drivers can now pay for the privilege of parking on his empty lot. This is not something that residents are used to: paid parking, when there is such a lack of spaces already, will only make matters worse. From a brief review of the site over the
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past weeks, it doesn’t appear that North Grenville drivers have exactly embraced the new regime, though there may be little choice in the coming weeks and months. Paid parking was tried in Kemptville previously, when the then Council of the Town of Kemptville installed parking meters in the downtown area. They received a similarly negative reception from drivers as the new scanning machines have, and were eventually removed completely. The lot on Clothier Street (between Hyde’s and the O’Heaphy’s site) is private property, not under the control of the municipality, so there is nothing to stop the owner demanding payment for parking there. It is understandable that a business person would expect to make money out of what is otherwise unproductive space, but, as it is known that there are plans to develop the site over the coming year or so, surely it would not be too much to ask that the free parking would be continued in the interim? It would be a good public relations move on the part of the owners, and they could put up a sign, like the one Rob Thompson had, letting the community know who to thank for the generous provision of parking in downtown Kemptville. As the Christmas season approaches, it would be a nice and timely gift to the people of North Grenville.
OUTDOOR
as Chrisrtm Ma ket NOVEMBER 16-17 11 AM-4 PM KEMPTVILLE CAMPUS 75 CAMPUS DRIVE
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