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Site once eyed for Bravery Park to become parking lot

June 1, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Pickford

It appears that downtown Orangeville will be getting a brand new parking lot after all, with a roughly 25-spot facility slated for the corner of Mill and Church streets.

Public concerns over the availability of parking in Orangeville’s downtown core has plagued council for much of its current term, but the issue appeared to be put to bed once and for all in March when transportation study firm Paradigm Solutions concluded there was enough parking space along Broadway and in nearby municipal lots to meet public needs.

Many area residents, specifically local business owners, refused to accept that determination, however, with one member directly addressing her concerns to council on Monday (May 29).

“As a local business owner currently running the second oldest downtown Orangeville business, I have to say I’m very concerned about parking,” said Marlene Black, owner of Orangeville Insurance Services Limited. “I’ve heard regular stories from clients saying they will travel down Mill Street three, four times before they find a spot.

Ms. Black stated she would be “very much in favour” of turning the empty lot on the corner of Mill and Church that at one time was intended to house Bravery Park into a paved parking lot.

Having long been a proponent for turning that particular site into public parking facilities, Councillor Don Kidd was eager to see the project approved and completed this summer if the municipalities Public Works department could fit it in.

“I’m ready to go down there with my shovel tomorrow and get this project started,” Coun. Kidd said.

Expecting it to come in at a cost of between $25,000 and $40,000, Town Treasurer Marc Villeneuve indicated there was more than enough in the municipality’s general capital reserves to fund the project this year if council wished to push it through quickly. When asked by Coun. Kidd, Public Works Director Doug Jones said he didn’t see any reason why the project could not be completed this summer.

Coun. Gail Campbell said she would prefer the Town took their time with this project and did all of its due diligence beforehand to ensure no taxpayer dollars were wasted.

“One of my concerns is whether or not contamination on the site will be an issue. We know that Orangeville Hydro was located there previously and we know there is an issue with the soil (thanks to testing carried out a number of years ago),” Coun. Campbell said. “I want to know if that contamination is going to be a problem before I agree to pave anything. I just think we need to back up a little bit and make sure we do this right.”

Coun. Kidd agreed, asking that staff prepare a report for a future council meeting regarding the condition of the site and its potential suitability for downtown parking.

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