By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Representatives of Kennedy Funeral Home and Iler Lodge Extendicare LTC and Retirement Home separately approached Essex Council about their individual parking needs at the December 1 meeting.
Tony de Ryk, owner of Kennedy Funeral Home, ask Council to install two “no parking” signs on Medora Avenue West, adjacent to his business’s parking lot.
“This functions as one large driveway, and when cars park along the edge, it creates confusion and can block vehicles from both exiting or entering,” de Ryk said, adding he believes adding the signs will provide clarity to residents and visitors, and provide smooth access for families accessing the business for its services.
In answering Councillor Katie McGuire-Blais’s question on if parking is allowed there currently, Director of Infrastructure Services, Kevin Girard, said there is nothing designated in the Town’s Parking By-Law that indicates it as a no parking area.
Staff are not specifically reviewing parking in this area.
If Council wishes to install no parking signs there, it would need to provide direction to Administration to move ahead with amending the Parking By-Law to include a parking restriction in the area.
McGuire-Blais moved that.
Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley understood the need for the no parking signs, and supported the motion.
In answering Councillor Joe Garon’s question on if the area gets used through the business for staging, de Ryk noted the majority of the time the parking lot is sufficient.
It can be hard to get in and out of the parking lot during events that bring people to the downtown core as members of the public use street parking.
His main concern is when he has services.
Garon did believe there could be some room for flexibility.
Girard believed it was a sensible request to put a parking restriction from Albert Street to the Driveway.
Doug Hay, Executive Director of Iler Lodge-Extendicare LTC and Retirement Home, asked for seven or eight parallel street parking spots on Iler Avenue, adjacent to the property. He hoped his request would be evaluated.
This would be for visitors only, and would be for a two-hour max, Hay said.
The Ministry has increased staffing levels of long-term care homes in Ontario, so there is an abundance of staff compared to what was required in the past, Hay explained. In addition, it has contracts with St. Clair College, where Iler Lodge receives students four times a week, who are completing clinical rotations. Some of those outstanding students end up getting hired.
With a lack of parking, students often have to park blocks away, Hay said. In addition, he has heard from families of residents they could not get a parking spot and had to leave without seeing their loved ones.
On any given day, there are five to seven cars parked up on sidewalks on the property, because there is nowhere else to go.
Director of Infrastructure Services Girard said there was an amendment made to the Parking By-Law to prohibit parking there in 2004. What the reason was, he was not sure. He can assume there was rutting caused because it is a grassy area, or it may have had to do with sightlines.
Councillor McGuire-Blais had concerns about the condition of the road, and asked if allowing the parking would deteriorate it faster. She further asked when is Iler Avenue planned to be reconstructed.
Girard could not speak to if on-street parking would deteriorate the road more quickly. The Town’s main concern would be the up keep and maintenance, such as having to send Public Works out to fix rutting during wetter months.
As far as reconstruction, Iler is a priority as it will require significant upgrades, but has not made the five-year capital forecast.
He guessed it could cost upwards of $20,000 to add gravel to the area to accommodate the parking request, as it would likely have to be done externally.
Councillor Garon asked if there was opportunity for cost-sharing to accomplish the request. Girard noted normally, that would not be entered into as it would be difficult to restrict the parking to only Iler Lodge.
There was some suggestion of converting space in the back to a parking lot.
Mayor Sherry Bondy spoke of how that would come at a cost to Iler Lodge, and she believes that means that money would not be used in care of residents.
She is at Iler Lodge frequently, and sees people park along the street on the opposite side of the road.
Bondy hoped Town administration could have a site visit to see how many parking spaces they can create, without blocking the benches.
Councillor Verbeek appreciated that, as if a parking spot was put in front of them, users would be looking at car doors. She had concerns with sightlines and blocking residents’ view of the street and sidewalk from the retirement home, as well. She would like the lot in the back be considered for a parking lot.
Hay noted the area where the retirement residents’ windows are located, and the fire hydrant and connections, can be avoided.
Deputy Mayor Shepley added there would be a cost to prepare the shoulder for gravel, as well. He hoped a future report would include those costs. He would be supportive of helping Iler get a permit for the parking lot in the back.
Hay noted the building was redone in 2002. HVAC and other aspects are coming due. He doubted there would be money to put aparkinglotinthebackforfive-10-years.
Council received the delegation, and directed Administration to go on site to take a look at where parking could be potentially put. Then they can report back as to what can be done in terms of on-street parking and at what cost.