Parking problems are plaguing downtown business owners.
“It’s a matter of people not abiding by the law,” said Canadian Chopper owner Daryl Letkeman, who has seen a number of infractions taking place around the corner of Sixth Street and Seventh Avenue.
“People are parking alongside yellow-painted curbs, on and across the sidewalk, beside hydrants – one motorist, when told to move his vehicle because he was illegally parked, drove across the street to the (bank) parking lot and parked in the handicapped stall,” Letkeman said.
“It’s bad, ridiculous,” he added, noting also numerous locals who were consistently disobeying the two hour parking limit on Seventh Avenue.
“The end result is other businesses have their parking spaces encroached upon by neighbouring business’ customers,” he explained, “it causes a back up which eventually results in someone doing something illegal.”
Letkeman’s large corner property also contains ample parking in front of his business, making his lot a convenient location for vehicles wishing to perform a U-turn, in addition to those looking for handy parking. Vehicles tend to race across the concrete apron, cutting the corner between Seventh and Sixth, a manouevre Letkeman considers dangerous and rude. Motorists who park on his property often straddle the sidewalk, at the same time they restrict parking for his customers.
“I’ve called the village and gotten the bylaw enforcement officer involved,” Letkeman said, “it might take a fine or two in order to get the few who do these types of things to correct their behaviour.”
“It’s not a big parking issue, but it is an issue on Seventh Avenue,” admitted Keremeos Village Chief Administrative Officer Laurie Taylor, who said there have also been complaints arising further west on Seventh Avenue over vehicles parked for lengthy periods in the vicinity of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band office.
“People who are working on the main street who park their vehicles on the street all day can tie up parking spaces, making it difficult for a customer to find a parking spot near the business they wish to patronize,” Taylor said. “Our bylaw enforcement officer has issued a few tickets.”
Taylor said there is an abundance of parking available off Seventh, almost anywhere along Veterans Avenue, as well as a parking lot on village property two lots east of the liquor store. There is alsoparking space south of the Red Bridge Pub, also along Veterans Avenue.
