By Cecilia Nasmith
Increases in parking fees – and fines – are on the way for those who drive in Cobourg.
At its committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday, council accepted the staff report and the rate increases to be implemented for 2022 through 2024.
Cobourg resident Ted Williams addressed council on one aspect of these plans – the expansion of paid-waterfront-parking status into 15 additional blocks and the role of this change in exerting some control over the problems that vast numbers of out-of-town beachgoers bring to this community.
Williams identified himself as an enthusiastic beachgoer himself. Though out-of-towners make the beach somewhat crowded on weekends, he said, “visitors, I believe, add to the joy and the celebration of our beach.”
He undertook his own informal canvassing of the residents of the 15-block area in question. Though they had experienced such disturbing summertime events as having visitors urinate in their shrubbery and set up barbecues on their lawns, the ones he talked to expressed opposition to the expansion of paid-waterfront-parking status into their area.
Williams also reminded council that some of these out-of-towners were not from Toronto but were from elsewhere in Northumberland County.
“They shop here, they buy cars, they go to restaurants – we should make some allowance for Northumberland County residents,” he urged.
He estimated that a day's trip to the beach could cost these people as much as $40.
“I don't want to treat my friends that way,” he stated.
Williams recommended delaying this aspect of the increases, but council voted to accept the staff report in its entirety.
Deputy Mayor Suzanne Seguin thanked Mr. Williams for his presentation.
“I was really kind of disappointed we didn't have a bigger turn-out at the public meeting to talk about these parking rates,” Seguin said, referring to the Feb. 7 session.
“They haven't been increased in many, many years.
“I know the DBIA spoke against any increase in the downtown area, but we do have to move forward, and hopefully won't wait 20 years before we put these rates up again,” she said, suggesting a periodic review.
“I hear a lot of people don't shop downtown any more because of the difficulty with parking. It's an on-going question. But seeing as there were so few people at the public meeting, it's obviously not that big of a concern.”
