More downtown parking needed in Lindsay, Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon: City of Kawartha Lakes

In downtown Lindsay, there are 584 municipal parking spaces.

Recognizing population growth, however, transportation master plan by the City of Kawartha Lakes has identified the need to add 264 more parking spaces to Lindsay’s core by 2031. That year, projected growth has the municipality booming to 100,000 people, from about 75,000 right now.

In carrying out the study, the municipality is working with the public as well as businesses and the Lindsay Downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA).

“It’s difficult to find a place to put parking, but we’re looking at all options,” said Adam Found, manager of corporate assets with the City of Kawartha Lakes.

“Whether it’s surface parking or above ground parking, we’re not leaving any options off the table.”

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Downtown Lindsay went to a free parking model in 2015.  You can park for two hours on the street or for four hours in a municipal lot without fear of getting a ticket.

A report from city staff stated downtown parking is usually at about 80 per cent utilization during busy periods during the day.  That has grown from 61 per cent after parking meters were eliminated.

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“We have a record low vacancy rate, which means all the businesses are thriving,” said Melissa McFardland, general manager of the BIA.  “Our downtown is busier.  People are taking advantage of what we have here.  We just need to add more parking to keep people coming to our downtown.”

Right now, street parking on Kent Street in downtown Lindsay is angular.  The municipality says it will not change that, but add to it.

“One aspect that we like as a city, is that it provides for about three times the amount of parking that you could get than if we instead had parallel parking,” said Found.  “Our vision is angled parking will stay in downtown Lindsay.”

The BIA parking committee, meanwhile, held a meeting with its membership on Tuesday morning to discuss the new parking study.

“We need parking,” said Charles McDonald, owner of The Grand and chair of the BIA.  “I hear it every day.  We need more parking because people are driving around to look for a spot.”

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Overall, the municipality has identified the need for 531 new parking spaces.

In addition to the ones needed in Lindsay, the municipality says it needs 210 new spaces in Fenelon Falls and 57 in Bobcaygeon.

“What we’re doing is following up on that need to better define it,” added Found. “We will be incorporating our growth projections, which are in our Growth Management Strategy.  We will also look at other factors that are more specific to the downtown areas.”

The municipality plans to hold another round of community and business consultations in the fall.