Impact

Picton BIA asks for free parking and free water

At a council meeting earlier this month, Picton BIA manager Mark Rose made a deputation requesting the waiving of parking fees in the downtown core, as well as free use of the water at the tap at the Picton Town Hall.

Rose told Council that it has been a very challenging summer for Main Street Picton businesses. “We have COVID loans coming due, costs are coming up and employment gaps. It’s not unique to downtown Picton of course, but then throw in some construction, detours, a random Saturday of lost business due to a power outage in July, and there is a fair bit of discontent on Main Street amongst the businesses,” said Rose, who then asked Council to consider offering free parking on Main Street for the duration of the East Main Street construction.

Rose explained that the businesses from Ross Street heading east have been impacted the hardest. “There is no convenient time to do construction. I am well aware of that, and it’s my job to make the businesses aware of that. Some are convinced more than others,” he said, adding that although he has no quantitative data, many businesses, retail especially, are experiencing a considerable downturn, some as much as 20 to 60 per cent since construction started in June. “We have ramped up social media promotion and announcements trying to turn it into a marketing machine that all businesses remain open and accessible during construction,” said Rose.

The Picton BIA has also worked with the County to get proper signage on detour routes pointing to Main Street indicating that all the business are still open and accessible, brought in entertainment such as buskers and musicians and will start to run radio ads with 99.3 County FM in an attempt to draw folks downtown.

Councillor Mike Harper said it was quite disturbing to hear of a 20 to 60 per cent downturn in business. “Obviously the construction is contributing to that. Do you have a sense from your membership what sort of downturn might sort of be a broader County phenomenon this summer?” asked Harper.

Rose did share that his evidence was anecdotal, but the general consensus was that of a large downturn. “When I get off of Main Street and into other enclaves of the County I hear the same thing. There are a lot of micro, and a lot of macro contributing factors as well,” said Rose.

Some councillors, including Jamie Forrester, said that they have heard of the same downward trend. “I have heard from numerous businesses that there is definitely a downtrend. We seem to still have a lot of people here at the accommodations. But they aren’t spending money. When you have to pay another $50 to $60 a week in your tank of gas, and another $100 in groceries, you have to make it up somewhere,” said Forrester.

Councillor Phil St-Jean asked for an estimate of what approving free parking would cost the municipality. CAO Marcia Wallace shared that an an average summer month brings in $7,200 in parking revenue, and there are around $3,500 in fines issued. Wallace also shared that the current detour goes until October 21, then it will change again heading down County Road 49 side until the middle of November.

As they await a staff report, councillors in favour of approving the free parking were Stewart Bailey, Mayor Steve Ferguson, Mike Harper, John Hirsch, Kate Mac- Naughton, Ernie Margetson and Phil St-Jean. In opposition were councillors Andreas Bolik, Jamie Forrester, Janice Maynard, Bill McMahon, Brad Nieman and Phil Prinzen. The discussion returns to council for consideration in September 13 meeting.

ON WATER
Rose then shifted the discussion to water at the Picton Town Hall. The BIA board became aware that an outdoor tap was installed to assist the Picton Farmers’ Market. He was asking Council if they would consider providing the water for the downtown hanging baskets. “We have a kid who waters our flowers, the main street planters, two to four times a week. His name is Alec Kanga. He does that with his mom or dad. He has been doing it close to five years,” said Rose.

Currently he fills up his cart at the Esso station. He also stores it there and charges it there when not in use. “The BIA board believes it would be better to draw this water from a municipal source, compared to Esso donating water,” said Rose.

With the Town Hall being central to the east end of Main Street, Rose said it would greatly help with the efficiency as Kanga would not have to cross the street and head back to the Esso station so often. “Alec is autistic. The job really means a lot to him. It is really important for the BIA to foster the relationship that we have with Alec and his family. They’re a really big asset. Not only to the BIA, but to the greater community as a whole,” added Rose.

Councillor Andreas Bolik mentioned that water has been in the local news a lot lately. “We know it is not free. Right now you are saying Esso is donating their metered water for this job. How do you propose how the water will be paid for?” Rose did not have an answer.

CAO Wallace told Council that staff would propose that the issue of free water would come back through fees and charges and be reflected in the 2023 budget. “Even if it is a waiving of the fee so that certain groups get it for free, it would still be something that you would want to make a Council decision on as part of the fees and charges. It is a service you would be giving to individuals,” said Wallace.

Councillor Kate MacNaughton noted that the cost of a cubic metre of water is $2.79 and it would only take one to two cubic metres per week. “I am just wondering if it will be all that expensive. He has a relatively small cart and he only waters a limited number of planters and does a great job. I don’t think it is a lot of water,” said McNaughton. “It seems right to do something nice for a participant in this community that is doing a good job for a neighbourhood that is under a little strain right now.”

Bolik still believed that making decisions on the fly wasn’t a way of doing business. “We hear comments that ‘oh it is just a little bit of water.’ That is called incrementalism. Here we are, we have six water systems in Prince Edward County. The people are paying a lot of money for their water. And now we are saying that an issue that came up just suddenly with no opportunity for any of our constituents to let us know what they think about it, and we are going to vote on it now and give water away for free. I don’t think that is good law-making. I think we should defer this. This has been going on for a while and it is for the benefit of the BIA. I’ll tell you with the four systems that are part of Ameliasburgh, I am going to get an earful,” said Bolik.

Councillor Ernie Margetson noted that it wouldn’t be the average water user paying for the water as the Picton Town Hall, like any other building, would be on metered water. “It wouldn’t be paid for by all the other water and sewer users. It would go into our budget for that building. In this circumstance, the summer is winding down. I can support providing this water for the short period of time until we get to the point of sorting this out through the fees and charges bylaw,” he said.

Bolik still believed it should be something the next council decides. “We are not doing this for the young lad. It is not coming out of his pocket one way or the other. And again, it is the principle. Yeah, its a few dollars. This came up suddenly. We have no input at all from the public and we are just going to make a decision because we think it is a great idea on the fly. I really don’t think that’s the way a professional body acts.”

Councillor St-Jean put forward a motion to provide the BIA with water from the Picton Town Hall. Only councillors Andreas Bolik, Jamie Forrester, Bill McMahon and Brad Nieman were opposed.