2 Hour Free Parking To Continue

Collingwood council voted unanimously in favour of a motion presented by Councilor Ian Chadwick to create a parking advisory committee to review downtown parking. In addition, the two hour free parking promotion will now continue until the end of 2007. A consultant had recommended that the town put an end to the free parking promotion. This encouraged the Downtown BIA to create a petition to gather input from downtown shoppers in the hope of extending free parking.

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Highlights of Survey Questions:

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IS THE 2 HOUR FREE PARKING AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR COMING DOWNTOWN?

• It has been a bonus to shop downtown and not pay for parking

• I own a Time Share unit in Collingwood, my viewpoint has changed to 100% to visit the downtown core

• It should be free for the local people and tourists

• Absolutely it is a consideration to come downtown now

• Definitely it was a consideration for me to come downtown due to the 2 hour free parking (I am happy to pay extra in stores but begrudge parking fees. It would be a big mistake to cancel free two hour parking! I don’t check to see if I have enough quarters to go to Walmart!

• If they go back to the old system and not have two hour free parking I will not shop downtown.

• I want to support the Collingwood Downtown merchants but not at the expense of getting a parking ticket

• It has been a consideration for me to bring my friends and visitors downtown

• It is appealing to come downtown when you have two hour free parking

• It is common sense to have free two hour parking, other communities do!

• I will go back to the mall where it is free to park if you take away the two hour free parking

• Get in the game most small towns/tourist destinations have free parking

• Right now, Collingwood has a very progressive parking policy for residents and tourists

• Now that we have all the “BOX” stores coming with their “FREE” parking, we have a choice. The two hour free parking in Town keeps me out of these box stores and into town where I gladly pay more for merchandise and help the downtown merchants stays alive. I have seen what happened growing up in Port Credit --- sad. Collingwood reminds me of Port Credit in the 50’s before the malls and box stores shut the old village down. Don’t let this happen here!

• Why would you discourage customers and visitors to come downtown!

• If free parking for two hours does not continue I believe you will kill the main street

• If you take away the parking I will go to Barrie, up to the Village, Wal*Mart and support their businesses where parking is free

• It would be very shortsighted to change back to paid parking, you need to keep downtown alive. That is why we like coming to Collingwood, the main street is alive

• It makes it easier to do business downtown and encourages me to stay downtown (vs. out of town of the western end)

• We have had enough businesses closure do you want more, help the merchants

• I would rather support main streets than box store areas; with parking issues it is hard to support main street merchants when you have to pay for parking!

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HAS THIS 2 HOUR FREE PARKING TRIAL PERIOD INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO COME DOWNTOWN MORE OFTEN?

• Yes, I would not of come downtown a lot if I had to pay for parking, I certainly came several time a month

• It has influenced my decision 100% to come downtown

• Yes like everyone else it has been the main influence “free two hour parking”

• Yes, I started coming downtown again. I had stopped when the new meters came in

• I have began shopping downtown again without worry about getting a ticket

• I come downtown more often and I even bring older people downtown to shop

• Haven’t you notice, there are more shoppers and walkers downtown?

• It is so much easier, no stress of getting a ticket or the meters not working

• Look at Meaford and Thornbury, everyone loves to visit that community

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