The City of North Bay is undertaking a new parking study to assess current and future parking demands across the downtown core. The review is intended to inform future decisions and investments while balancing the needs of those who park in the area for work, recreation or medical appointments. The consulting firm R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited has been retained to lead the work, which will also form the foundation of a new parking strategy developed with input from local residents. Study aims to improve system operations and user experience City officials say the resulting parking strategy will focus on making better use of existing spaces, improving overall system operations, and enhancing the experience for people using downtown lots and streets. David Jackowski, the city’s special projects and operations projects manager, said the study is a necessary step to identify problems within the current setup. “It’s important to study the parking system to understand how it’s used, what are the pain points? Is there some friction that’s happening within the system, and should we make changes in the future? We need to understand what those impacts would be,” Jackowski said. McIntyre Parking Garage under specific review The study will examine the entire downtown parking system, with a particular focus on the future role of the McIntyre Parking Garage, also known as Lot 4. Researchers will also review payment options, permit parking arrangements and how well the existing system is meeting community needs. Jackowski said there is a need for a closer look at the McIntyre street facility specifically. “We need to understand the usage of that lot,” Jackowski said. “Who’s using it when they’re using it? Are they comfortable using it?” Public engagement underway A parking needs assessment is scheduled for completion by October, with the full parking strategy and accompanying recommendations to follow between October and December. Those recommendations will be presented to the next city council in 2027. The city has posted three separate surveys on its website, each tailored to a different group: residents, downtown and marina visitors and downtown business owners along with their employees. Amber Livingstone, the executive director of Downtown North Bay and Waterfront, said she welcomes the city’s consultative approach. “We’re very pleased that the city does check in with us on these things,” Livingstone said. “Or if we go to them with an idea, they’re happy to listen to us.” Operational changes to be handled separately The city’s website states that the study will produce recommendations to help guide long-term parking decisions. However, officials stress that any potential changes to parking rules, rates, or operations would be considered separately and are not part of the current study’s immediate outcomes.
