Clearly, I'm obsessed.

Supposing, if you will, that metered parking in Downtown Stoney Creek was repealed. (Mostly because what they'd projected revenue-wise appeared to ultimately be proved either a 'terminological inexactitude'...or a horribly manipulative forecast.) 

So we go back to 'the way it was'. 

People are able to park free on King Street. Which, as I recall, was two-hour parking. More than enough for shoppers. But then we're back to one of the four foundational 'particulars' about Downtown Stoney Creek.

1) There has maybe never been sufficient parking allowances for business owners and their employees. So even when parking was free, employees would have to regularly jockey their vehicles about during the work day. This meant that every two hours, they'd have to go out, in sunny weather, in rain, in snow, to move their vehicle in order not to get ticketed. Does this seem amenable to productivity in the marketplace? 

The solution? Well, this is where things get interesting, and in the case of most tough-to-crack puzzles, different elements would need to be recognized and their particulars implemented. a) More parking passes should be issued by the City of Hamilton to Downtown Stoney Creek businesses. (I have to issue a proviso here. What the downtown doesn't need are businesses that come in who 'require' what amounts to an inordinate number of staff spaces, and they can only supply a portion of these on their own property. This places a ridiculous burden on the available resources.) If businesses don't have what they need to reasonably set up shop...for instance, places for their employees to park...then they're probably not going to locate in Downtown Stoney Creek. To those who say 'But you're taking away spaces from shoppers!', I'm going to direct you to point #2, below.) Hand-in-hand with this, is b) an entirely new approach to the existing land between Elm and Lake Avenue. I've redesigned the downtown. I'm positive that there are available spaces for more parking...but it ain't gonna happen within the current paradigm and dynamic. This is not, as some might want to whinge, an impossible situation. Merely impossible within the current set of circumstances. If you cannot grasp this, then frankly, you need to find another focus for your energies. 

2) The Health Sciences Building (and its patrons) by-and-large monopolizes the spaces available in Municipal Lot #3 on Mountain Avenue South. (However, this is connected to point #3, below.) Consider if you will, the hypothetical that it's not a medical building on that spot, but something else. Something whose patrons' needs (or maybe employees' needs) necessitate the same degree of monopolization of spaces. Would we be as blithely co-operative or understanding when it came to so much valuable parking being made unavailable to actual Downtown Stoney Creek customers? In the words of the great feline philosopher, 'I think not, baby pupplatina.'

There are more parking spaces on this lot than the rest of the downtown streets combined. It's an invaluable resource in terms of creating the vibrant and thriving downtown I want to believe all those concerned genuinely crave.  

The bottom-line here is that the Health Sciences Building is actually the primary bane of Downtown Stoney Creek as it relates to creating this desired environment.

3) Given that we have a large lot where free parking has continued to exist, it's a reasonable assumption that many people are lazy. They don't want to walk 200 feet. What they want...even though this flies in the face of 'The Mall-shopping Mindset', where you are bound to walk considerable distances to get what you want no matter where you park...is to park directly in front of the store they want to shop at. 

Which means what they really want is to go back in time. To the 50s or 60s. 

Which generally means they're of a certain generation. 

Moving on...

We already have an abundance of parking in Downtown Stoney Creek. Especially when taking into account the general Level of Wonderfulness the current mix of businesses possesses, the absolute dearth of authentic 'draws' we currently have. If we take away the 'paid' element and make it all '2-hour free parking', even when the Health Sciences Building is monopolizing the spaces, at almost any hour of the day, there are available spaces. But...but...

But many people tend to be lazy and they don't want to walk 200 feet to get free parking. 

So if this is true...and I'd be willing to arm-wrassle anyone over this point...then one of the primary issues isn't paid parking...it's people's laziness. 

However...

4) If you have businesses that are authentic draws...along the same line as The Village Restaurant, for the sake of argument...then people...especially people who are not of 'that generation' who aren't willing or able to walk 200 feet...will do what's required to park their car. Upon request, I can name you instances in various cities in various countries where people don't blink at the prospect of walking 200 feet to fulfill their desires, because there are businesses at hand that supply these needs. 

We don't have that in Downtown Stoney Creek. 

Let me repeat myself here: We don't have that in Downtown Stoney Creek.

People do not think of Downtown Stoney Creek as a destination in which they can satisfy some of their shopping needs. Not like, dare I be so bold, Dundas. (Yes, I'm very aware of the differences in scale. Yes, I'm very aware of the differences in particulars. And yes, I'd be willing to arm-wrassle anyone over this stuff, too.) 

As this is my blog, with my rules, I'm allowed to do an imitation of a broken record, so:

'There's no there, there.'

"But mystoneycreek, the kinds of businesses you're talking about wishing were in Downtown Stoney Creek won't locate there because there's insufficient parking! For either their customers, or their employees (and themselves)!"

To this I reply: "There's not 'insufficient parking'. Once you eliminate parking fees for the downtown, it's more a case that a) what's available has been both monopolized and badly utilized, and b) potential land use focusing on parking hasn't been integrated into a 'master plan'. Oh, and c) some people are lazy cunts and won't walk 200 feet."

Up next: my 'solutions'.