Depending on who you ask, parking in Abbotsford’s historic downtown may be either a constant pain or no problem at all.
Now City Hall is trying to figure out just how much of an issue it really is – and what can be done to plan for the area as it grow over the next 10 years.
This week, the city just launched an online questionnaire to gauge users thoughts on parking in the historic downtown. The results will be part of the background research underpinning a traffic management plan expected to be completed next year.
The survey asks respondents how much of a priority they place on having parking right next to their destination and how far they are comfortable with walking from their vehicle, among other queries.
The city asked residents what they thought about parking downtown just a couple years ago when it was developing the new neighbourhood plan for the historic downtown. Ten per cent of respondents said parking in the area “does not work,” while 15 per cent said it “works well.” Three-quarters, though, said their experience is dependent on the time of day. Saturday afternoons were particularly busy, but while most parking spots in a close proximity to the Montrose and Essendene were taken, others were frequently available just a short walk away. Nine of ten people said they would be willing to walk three blocks to get to their destination.
The new survey can be found at letstalkabbotsford.ca/parking.
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