This letter made it into the Stoney Creek News this week:
Thursday, December, 15, 2011 - 9:09:19 AM
Olde Town needs merchants with vision
Re; Fresh ideas needed for Stoney Creek, not user fees, Letters, Dec. 8
Few things make me sadder than when someone gets it right… while getting it so wrong.
W. Robertson’s letter of Dec. 8 is a great example. Yes, ‘fresh ideas are needed for Stoney Creek,’ specifically for ‘Olde Town Stoney Creek.’ But the villain isn’t “user fees.” I agree wholeheartedly with much of what the letter writer says, especially when they focus on the loss of community spirit. But I disagree with his verdict.
I have explored this topic ad nauseam on my community blog My Stoney Creek, examined the issues from every angle, looked at the history of the street, the market trends over 40-plus years, the whole paid-parking brouhaha, amalgamation with Hamilton, virtually the entire gamut of variables and contributing factors.
To answer the primary question as to why, on a Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. there are virtually no cars parked on King Street (aside from the simple answer that they’re parking for free in Municipal Lot 3), this: “There’s no ‘there,’ there.”
There’s very little reason for anyone to make the trip downtown. There’s insufficient incentive for people to venture into Olde Town Stoney Creek. Not because of parking fees...Dundas has a thriving downtown and they have weekday fees as well...but because what’s presented simply doesn’t compel people to travel there to shop.
This has little to do with politicians, no matter how great the urge is to look at parking fees as the great battle issue. This has to do with market trends and a lack of vision on the parts of property owners, with the emphasis on the latter.
All thanks to Brad Clark for pushing the evelope and getting rid of parking meters . The backlots were about to have the meters installed the hiatus was about to end for all free parking in the crik.. As mentioned on the Bill Kelly show that was live from Stoney Creek , Brad mentioned he wouldnt rest until he got rid of the meters and he did thats dedication and a true to his word politian .
ReplyDelete1) Yes, Councillor Clark played his part in all this. Well done, Brad.
ReplyDelete2) No. Not true at all, was never going to happen. The 'backlots' you're talking about would be what, Municipal Lot #3? I think you would have found that the Medical Arts Building would have had something to say about that...Pressure! Pressure!...and the notion of 'all free parking in the crik' ending make me howl.
3) Yes, Councillor Clark played his part, he spoke up for his constituents. My next question is 'When is Stoney Creek going to see a thriving, robust downtown? (And not a further obliteration of the already-limited retail streetscape by having professional businesses move in)
In short, this never would have been a problem if there had been a 'there', there; ain't nothin' evil about parking meters, not on main streets that are viable.