Owen Sound Deputy Mayor Brian O’Leary has put forth a notice of motion to council about paid parking for non-residents at some parks in the city.
At city council’s meeting Monday (Aug 30th), O’Leary expressed his intention to make a motion requesting staff bring forward a report on the details of how a paid parking system for non-residents could be implemented in 2022 at Harrison park and Kelso Beach with the potential of adding other sites.
Owen Sound residents would be exempt from the fees.
O’Leary said in his notice of motion, the City’s Asset Management Plan identifies an existing current annual infrastructure deficit of $3.1 million per year for core assets, noting the plan does not yet include non-core assets. O’Leary told council, non-core assets such as parks are,”Critically important to the community and to visitors to the city.”
He pointed out pedestrian and vehicle counts show Harrison Park had over 160,00 vehicles and 140,000 pedestrians in 2020. O’Leary says the City’s five-year capital plan identifies needs in parks and park buildings of over $5 million.
O’Leary told council, “The annual capital budget cannot be supported solely on the backs of city taxpayers,” adding, “The City’s strategic plan finance pillar states that we will be a financially stable and responsible municipality and will manage our finances in a resilient and forward thinking manner, addressing the infrastructure deficit with a view to long-term sustainability and prosperity.”
He added, “A convenient system of paid parking would add revenue and relieve the city taxpayer from bearing the entire cost of maintaining our parks for the benefit of all.”
O’Leary is suggesting revenue from paid parking could be invested in the city’s parks and open space system.
While his notice of motion focuses on Harrison Park and Kelso Beach Park for 2022. He proposes the potential of adding the Bayshore Community Centre and the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre.
The notice of motion means O’Leary intends to put the matter up for discussion in the form of a motion, likely at the next council meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for September 13th.
At that time, if O’Leary brings the motion forward, council can decide whether it would like to discuss the motion, and possibly vote on it.
If they voted in favour of it, staff would then write up the requested report, which would be presented to council at a later meeting. Council could then decide if it wanted to move forward after that.