During Monday Night’s town council meeting, Kerry Costello, Director of Corporate Services presented four quick fixes to update the current parking bylaw in Smiths Falls. The council voted to amend schedule A to allow for angled parking along Beckwith from Daniel St to Russell St; establish two-hour parking along parallel spaces on Beckwith St; include new designated accessible parking spaces; allow people with valid disabled permits to park in any two-hour or metered spot for the time being. This second amendment is temporary until town council fully updates the current parking bylaw, which was established in 1997. Councillor Dwyer asked if the parking meters on side streets will be removed? Director Costello affirmed that yes, they will be removed in the not-too-distant future. CAO Morris added that he expects the parking meters on the side streets to be removed over the winter, once the bylaw is fully updated. Councillor Brennan confirmed that this second amendment is just changing what is necessary in order to move to 2-hour free parking on the newly renovated Beckwith St. Councillor Alford noted that the Downtown Business Association is concerned that parking enforcement needs to be stepped up. When “we don’t have the option to garner revenue through parking fees, fines would be the only option for generating revenue.”
Town council looks forward to updating the parking bylaw in December or January.