As the community thaws and the wall of snow that once lined the streets begins to melt away, overnight parking rules in Barrie are changing. As of April 1, the city’s seasonal overnight parking restrictions, when a ‘Winter Maintenance Event’ is declared, will be lifted. Drivers will once again be able to park on most city streets from 12:01 a.m. to 7 a.m. from Wednesday onwards. Restrictions at waterfront and select parking lots, including areas like the Spirit Catcher lot in the downtown core, Simcoe Street lot, and North Marina lot, will also no longer apply, returning to normal use after March 31. City officials do warn that parking will still be prohibited if unpredictable spring weather triggers another ‘Winter Maintenance Event,’ even outside the Dec. 1 to March 31 timeframe. The parking ban would be reinstated to allow crews to complete street cleaning operations. Parking on lawns remains prohibited year-round.
