Main Street opening soon

[XT225]

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[fluffy]

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[rustled]

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[XT225]

Since the mods don't want personal attacks (understandable) and they want us to stay on topic, could someone please explain what the benefits of wider sidewalks and the loss of parking in the 100 block ARE? Unless the city plans on closing Gyro park and allowing commercial businesses who might use those sidewalks, what they are doing makes little sense.

[fluffy]

I snooped around the net a bit and found that it's generally accepted that head-in angle parking lacks in safety when compared to parallel parking and back-in angle parking due to limited visibility when backing out. It would be interesting to see what the frequency of mishaps was on that stretch of Main Street.

[XT225]

I snooped around the net a bit and found that it's generally accepted that head-in angle parking lacks in safety when compared to parallel parking and back-in angle parking due to limited visibility when backing out. It would be interesting to see what the frequency of mishaps was on that stretch of Main Street.

The city did in fact try "Reverse angle parking" for a short period in that block. Does anyone remember why it was then changed back to pull-in angle parking? I've personally never heard or seen any accidents from people backing out of those stalls, though I'm not down there everyday. Here's an interesting article stating that Parallel parking is NOT the easiest thing to do, at all. We want to make it EASIEST to park there, do we not?
https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/blog/an ... -easy.html

[twobits]

I snooped around the net a bit and found that it's generally accepted that head-in angle parking lacks in safety when compared to parallel parking and back-in angle parking due to limited visibility when backing out. It would be interesting to see what the frequency of mishaps was on that stretch of Main Street.

Parallel parking might be safer on the right hand side of the road, but I doubt it is on the left hand side of a one way street when the driver is sitting next to the curb rather than the lane they want to merge into.

It would be interesting to see what the mishap reports were for the angle in parking in the 100 blk. Somehow I don't think we went to parallel over angle in parking because of accidents. Am pretty sure parking was just sacrificed for wider sidewalks. That now begs the question for such an important and well visited public access building, "why would you decrease the available public parking to such a building in the only available parking without creating an alternative such as opening the rear parking lot to the public?" I mean seriously, did everyone just put on the blinders when they conceived this plan and fall in love with wide sidewalks while ignoring parking? For lord's sake, the primary concern of downtown for the last four decades has been the lack of parking and this is the revite plan? Reduce parking even further?
Can anyone name a BC City over 25k in population that does not have a City hall with a dedicated parking lot for people wishing to use their City Hall? Even the RDOS office on Martin St has free visitors parking.

[fluffy]

Parallel parking might be safer on the right hand side of the road, but I doubt it is on the left hand side of a one way street when the driver is sitting next to the curb rather than the lane they want to merge into.

That was mentioned as well. As far as safety goes, back-in angle parking has the best record, but also meets with the greatest "customer" resistance.

As for the reasoning behind the changes here in Penticton, I don't have a clue. I'm neither here nor there about it, I generally save up a few different chores and errands before I head downtown, park somewhere and walk. But I understand not everyone has the time that I do. Still, on the occasions I was looking for parking right at City Hall I don't recall ever getting shut out completely, there were times when I got shut out of the short-term freebies right in front but there was always lots of room at the metered slots further down or on the other side of the street. I suppose time will tell if this was a bad decision.

[pentona]

That was mentioned as well. As far as safety goes, back-in angle parking has the best record, but also meets with the greatest "customer" resistance.

As for the reasoning behind the changes here in Penticton, I don't have a clue. I'm neither here nor there about it, I generally save up a few different chores and errands before I head downtown, park somewhere and walk. But I understand not everyone has the time that I do. Still, on the occasions I was looking for parking right at City Hall I don't recall ever getting shut out completely, there were times when I got shut out of the short-term freebies right in front but there was always lots of room at the metered slots further down or on the other side of the street. I suppose time will tell if this was a bad decision.

I mentioned this earlier and I will repeat it:

I just did a count on what used to be angle parking in that block. There used to be 66 spots on the West side and changing that to parallel, it will be reduced to 30. That's more than a 50% reduction is available parking for both city hall and Gyro Park. So much for bringing people into that area.

It isn't just parking for City Hall that concerns me. There are numerous events, concerts, etc in Gyro park and parking with even 66 on that side is often impossible. Now its going to be even worse. Making things accessible doesn't appear to be a mandate of our city. What is the purpose of the wider sidewalks on the West side in the 100 block?

[southy]

I am not trying to be negative towards CH. This is simply a suggestion. We get some great posts with some great ideas regarding our fine city. Perhaps the mayor and council or their engagement person could come on board with all of us on Castanet and open up some form of dialogue. I think it would go a long ways to being more transparent and engaged than what they are doing now. Just a thought to anyone from CH who may be reading these posts.

[fluffy]

I just did a count on what used to be angle parking in that block. There used to be 66 spots on the West side and changing that to parallel, it will be reduced to 30. That's more than a 50% reduction is available parking for both city hall and Gyro Park. So much for bringing people into that area.

I spent some time sifting through the CoP website to see if there was any mention of the reasoning behind the change in parking configuration but came up empty handed. I had a similar question over the raised intersections in the new layout and found the counter staff at City Hall to be pretty well informed when it came to fielding questions of that sort.

It isn't just parking for City Hall that concerns me. There are numerous events, concerts, etc in Gyro park and parking with even 66 on that side is often impossible. Now its going to be even worse. Making things accessible doesn't appear to be a mandate of our city. What is the purpose of the wider sidewalks on the West side in the 100 block?

True, the loss of those thirty-some parking places will be felt at busy times, especially with no mention of any additional parking being supplied in other areas. I think about busy times like fireworks nights when you are lucky to be within six or seven blocks of that area. I did notice on the CoP site that there was a free city bus shuttle pulling a big loop through downtown and along the lakeshore to get people to and from the SOEC for a concert or some such. I wonder if this would be policy for major events in the City Hall neighbourhood as well, perhaps use large parking lots like Cherry Lane, the Plaza or Wal-Mart as a sort of park & ride set up?

[twobits]

I think about busy times like fireworks nights when you are lucky to be within six or seven blocks of that area.

That is actually an observation that is being overlooked with the way planning these improvements is concerned. I have actually stopped going to these "large events" because of the gong show of getting there and getting home. Transit is not an option for obvious reasons never mind it would extend the time commitment a further two hours with a crowd.
I've even abandoned going to the farmers market for similar reasons. It's just not worth the effort and expense of my leisure time to attend.

[fluffy]

But wouldn't putting enough parking space aside to service these once-in-a-blue-moon events be folly? I'd like to see a mandatory car-pool program for city hall employees and then open up half the back lot for public parking.

[XT225]

But wouldn't putting enough parking space aside to service these once-in-a-blue-moon events be folly? I'd like to see a mandatory car-pool program for city hall employees and then open up half the back lot for public parking.

Its not just events in Gyro, its about quick, easy access to City Hall. I agree with you re the rear parking lot, though. After city hall closes for the day, ANYone should be able to park there. During weekdays, staff should, at the very least, have to only park on the perimeter of that lot, leaving the rest for the "customer". This is sometimes the policy at retail parking lots for staff; IF they are allowed to even park on the lot. Re the once in a blue moon events, I think you will find that there are many evenings in the Summer where events take place and that parking all along that block is at a premium.

[fluffy]

I think there must be something we're not seeing here. I can't help but think if it was just wider sidewalks they wanted that the smart way to go would be to expand into the park. There must be some reason for the change in parking configuration.