Councillor calling for shorter paid parking timeframe, angled parking

A councillor is calling for parking changes in Windsor, like scaling back the paid parking timeframe and adding angled parking. CTV’s Bob Bellacicco reports.

City councillor Renaldo Agostino is trying to make it easier for residents to come downtown. At Monday’s council meeting Agostino asked administration to report back on parking enforcement adjustments.

“When it comes to bringing in revenue, the city’s idea to move this parking up to 9 p.m. to bring an additional $650,000, I’ve been working with administration to get it to a million but do it in a different way,” he said.

As it stands, drivers have to pay to park between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Agostino wants the time rolled back to 6 p.m. and would like the city to add angled parking.

“Supporting the businesses downtown, giving residents more of an option. It’s a win-win-win for everybody, including bringing in the potential of $1 million in tax revenue that can now be redeployed into the city, into the downtown core,” Agostino told CTV News.

Andy Baker, owner of Diva’s Delight on Chatham Street West, embraces the idea of adding more parking.

“Every day is a big concern in this area. It’s just not enough parking, especially on the weekend and weekday nights,” Baker said.

Nick Cain was downtown Tuesday afternoon and feels having more parking spots will entice him to visit the core more often.

“It’ll be a lot less congested. A lot more accessible and a lot less stressful when it comes down to it,” he said.

“That’s the main game.”

Additional revenue could be generated through motorists paying more when using cash at the meter, as opposed to paying through the city’s parking app.

“Unfortunately, there’s a cost to cash,” Agostino said.

“People gotta count it. People gotta roll it. People gotta collect it.”

Agostino is proposing about 250 angled parking spots spread out across the downtown core, including Glengarry near Caesars Windsor, Chatham Street, and Pitt Street.

“It looks as though we could probably double, if not a little bit more, the parking, even though it would just be to the one side of the street,” said Brandon Hanczar, manager of La Guardia on Pitt Street.

“I think it would work out quite well if we were to go that route. It would be fantastic on the weekend.”

Agostino hopes administration’s report will be ready to be voted on by council Jan. 26.