So; you wanna talk about our 'parking problem'...? Part Two

I say that the 'parking problem' is tied in with the question of Downtown Stoney Creek's revitalization because it's my belief that the general 'Meh' status of the area has meant that the distinct lack of energies -vitality- has prevented solutions to be sought.

The old saw says: 'They're not making any more land.' So as much as people might slam the City of Hamilton for seemingly wanting to destroy our struggling downtown by instituting paid parking, there's simply not going to be any answers forthcoming from any level of government; last time I checked, no administration has been charged by an omnipotent power to create something out of nothing. So if there is a 'parking problem', then Downtown Stoney Creek will have to use what's at its disposal in order to address it.

(And here I need to make clear that I'm not saying the BIA should be leading this effort. Or the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce. But I do know that it can't be government. This leaves whatever movers-and-shakers there are in the downtown who essentially 'control' what might or might not happen...and I'll venture that there are currently five such parties. What I'm proposing probably doesn't have a chance in Hell of ever being initiated, no matter how deeply we go into my suggestions, originally found here.)

The fact is that there exists land that could be utilized for public parking. Some of it is within the BIA definition of 'downtown' (meaning between Elm and Lake), and some of it marginally outside these parameters. As I've dealt with the former in my series 'What is a 'Downtown'?' as noted above, this time through, I'd like to concentrate on the latter.

Less than a block to the west of the BIA's Lake Avenue boundary, there's a vacant lot. Bookending it, an apartment building on the one side, and on the other, an optometrist's office and a professional planning office, if memory serves. (I remember the houses that used to be there; anyone with photos, please contact me.)

Now, I'm not sure exactly how far this piece of property extends. But there are the remnants of what I seem to remember as an old Hydro facility bordering onto 2nd Street North as well as an informal parking area behind an apartment building on Brandow Court. Here's the aerial map:

View Larger Map

I've estimated the potential capacity for all three elements here at roughly seventy-five. Which for argument's sake is about half of Downtown Stoney Creek's current municipal parking.

How much of a big deal should locating a municipal lot less than a block from the periphery of 'downtown'? None at all.

If there were sufficient retail draws in Downtown Stoney Creek.

Which there aren't.

And so, never mind how it could come to pass that these properties could be utilized for the betterment of Downtown Stoney Creek, the truth is that people would poo-poo the notion because it's 'too far to walk'.

Which it is.

If you have nowhere worthwhile to head to.

Here's an album of photos providing some up-close perspectives on the land I'm suggesting:

Downtown Stoney Creek Parking Problem, Suggested Solution #1