The Citizen, 2019-06-27, Page 2PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2019.
While Huron East may take steps
to better identify municipal parking
in Brussels, most have found no
problem with the availability of
parking in the village.
Public Works Manager Barry
Mills spoke to the issue, presenting a
report at Huron East Council’s June
18 meeting. Both Mills and Cathy
Garrick from the Public Works
Department spoke to 23 merchants
in downtown Brussels to investigate
concerns with parking in the village.
The issue had been discussed
numerous times previously after
complaints of apartment tenants
parking on the main street,
occupying spots in front of
businesses. Though parking on the
main street throughout the summer
months is not illegal, some store
owners complained that they were
losing business because tenants
refused to use allotted spaces behind
their buildings.
In addition to the complaints to
council, residents also presented a
petition with 144 signatures asking
council to pass a bylaw requiring
tenants to park behind their
buildings and not on the main street.
Despite the petition, however,
Mills’ research found that the
majority of main street business
owners didn’t have any problems
when it came to parking and didn’t
want any changes made.
Mills and Garrick spoke to 23
main street merchants and found that
39 per cent of them felt there was a
parking problem in Brussels.
However, only 25 per cent of those
interviewed were in favour of
establishing a time limit.
“The real issue seemed to be one
of a few tenants and/or business
owners parking all day in one spot
(this was expressed by more than
half of the interviewees),” Mills said
in his report. “Ironically, the
business owners who park on the
street all day do not park in front of
their own stores, which would seem
convenient and logical, but instead
park across the street in another
business’ customer parking spots.”
In addition to the interviews
conducted by staff, Mills and
Garrick also included a week-long
count of vehicles parked downtown
at various times throughout the day.
At no time, Mills found, were all of
Brussels’ 53 main street parking
spots (three of which are accessible)
full. In addition, Mills said there are
also numerous spots on side streets
and in two municipal parking lots,
though he admitted that those two
lots could have better signage.
He also told councillors that if
they were in favour of implementing
a two-hour parking limit, there
would be a clear enforcement
problem.
“The majority of the businesses
interviewed did not support the
establishment of a two-hour parking
limit,” Mills said. “Implementing a
two-hour parking limit will require
enforcement. Huron East currently
employs a bylaw enforcement
officer on a part-time, complaint-
generated basis, primarily to enforce
property standards and zoning
infractions. During the winter,
overnight parking in problem areas
is enforced on a sporadic basis.”
Councillor Alvin McLellan said
he still had concerns with those who
park for several days during the
winter without moving their car
from the main street. This forces
snowplows to drive around them,
creating an accumulation concern on
the village’s main street.
Mills said that the public works
department has the ability to tow
vehicles in that situation, but has
rarely done so. McLellan said that
perhaps cars should be towed in
those scenarios because it’s during
the winter that main street parking
truly becomes a concern.
Mayor Bernie MacLellan agreed
with Mills’ position, saying that it
sounded like this was really a
problem between a small number of
store owners and the tenants living
above their stores parking on the
main street.
If council didn’t wish to
implement a two-hour limit on main
street parking, Mills suggested
paving and signage for the two
municipal parking lots, one next to
the LCBO and another near the Four
Winds Barn behind the village’s car
wash. He also added that when Four
Winds owner Bryan Morton paves
his establishment’s parking lot, that
should help alleviate any parking
burden in that area as well.
Council concurred with Mills’
recommendation, but deferred the
issue until the July 2 meeting for a
decision. Neither Brussels
Councillor Zoey Onn or John Lowe
were in attendance at the meeting
and councillors thought it was only
fair that at least one of them be there
before a decision is made in their
ward.
Continued from page 1
takes over the ministry. She feels
he’s a good representative who will
do a good job as the Minister of
Education.
“Stephen is a sparkplug; he has a
lot of energy and I know he has the
same commitment to make sure
parents have confidence that their
children are learning the
fundamentals that will ensure them a
successful career,” Thompson said.
“My thumbprint will be on a lot of
things that Minister Lecce will be
carrying through and I’m really
pleased about that.”
The importance of her new post,
Thompson said, is wide-reaching
and she feels she can do some good
for Ontario from her new seat.
“I had the absolute honour as the
new Minister of Government and
Consumer Services of accepting the
government seal from the Lieutenant
Governor this morning and that was
incredibly humbling,” Thompson
said.
She added that all government
buildings in Ontario will be under
her watch, while on the consumer
side, it will be up to her to ensure
that legislation always keeps
consumer protection and consumer
rights at top of mind.
Thompson was just one of several
high-profile ministers who found
themselves with new jobs last
Thursday.
Doug Downey has replaced
Caroline Mulroney as Attorney
General, while Rod Phillips has
replaced Vic Fedeli as Minister of
Finance.
In addition to the significant
cabinet shuffle, Ford also made
some ministry changes, splitting the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term
Care into two ministries, among
other changes.
Thompson honoured with seal
Parking availability in Brussels not an issue: survey
Legendary
Sunday was Legends Day at the Clinton Raceway, an annual celebration of jockeys of the past
who truly made their mark on horse racing. Not only was the autograph booth a busy place –
featuring names like Steve Condren, Wally Hennessey, Dave Wall, Doug Brown, Bill
O’Donnell, Ron Waples, Keith Waples, John Campbell and Dave Miller – but so too was the
race track, packing hundreds into the stands for the day of races. (Hannah Dickie photo)
An important job
Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson says she’s honoured to
now care for the Great Seal of Ontario as the province’s
Minister of Government and Consumer Services. She is
seen here receiving the seal from Lieutenant Governor
Elizabeth Dowdeswell. (Photo submitted)
The Citizen
Offices will be closed
on Monday, July 1
for Canada Day
The deadline for the
July 4 paper will be
Friday, June 28
2 pm in Brussels
and 4 pm in Blyth
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519-523-4792
541 Turnberry St., Brussels
519-887-9114
info@northhuron.on.ca
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By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
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