Good for Parksville city council for steering clear of expensive parking options.
Like the Town of Qualicum Beach discovered when they looked at the issue in their community, our communities don’t have a parking problem — they have a walking problem.
Yet, this is no different than anywhere else.
People want parking spaces right out front of their destinations — better than walking a block or two, apparently. And when they don’t get it, they complain to business owners or to the city.
Of course, there’s nothing to be done about this. There is only so much available space for parking in front of your destination. And with such a disjointed downtown area, easy access will be an issue until it’s all torn down and planned properly. We all know that’s not going to happen.
So, Parksville has a hodgepodge of parking areas throughout the city. Some are free, some are pay. Some are a few blocks away from wherever it is you want to go.
Bottom line is, for some people, this situation is not convenient enough. Nor will it ever be.
For other people with access and mobility issues, the concern is legitimate. They face fewer parking areas when employees park right out front, rather than allowing their customers to use those spots. It’s going to be up to local businesses to encourage their people to park elsewhere to avoid this issue.
For the rest of us, complaining about parking should not even be on our list of important issues.
Our legs work, don’t they?
Thanks goodness the majority of people asked in the city’s report seem to think there’s enough parking and are generally happy with it.
Time to move on and let more important matters take up the space.
— editorial by Steven Heywood