A quick stroll around Powell River’s historic Townsite reveals empty streets with plenty of available parking. We certainly can understand the frustration of a business owner who is working to open an art gallery in a heritage building. It does seem redundant that the City of Powell River is requiring Shane Bodie, the owner of Studio 56, to designate five off-site parking spaces when the streets surrounding the former Bank of Montreal building provide more than enough parking for his business.
New businesses in Townsite have revitalized the neighbourhood in the last few years. These businesses create jobs, generate income for the city, as well as promote the area as a destination, for residents and tourists alike. Mayor Dave Formosa holds the opinion that Townsite is one of the region’s top two tourist attractions.
There are plans to transform the old Powell Stores building into a multi-faceted retail outlet for small businesses, local food, arts and crafts products and more. This development is expected to attract customers to its premises, yet this is the lot that city staff recommended for the Studio 56 parking spots. It seems counter-intuitive to take five parking spaces away from this lot to provide parking for a business that is half a block away. As well, asking customers to navigate a steep hill on that half block erects barriers for people with mobility problems.
A survey conducted by Powell River Regional Economic Development Society in 2012 found that the city received low marks from businesses. While 39 per cent had no opinion, 35 per cent thought the city’s development approval process was poor to very poor. In rating local government, about 40 per cent ranked it as poor and 30 per cent as fair.
That perception has existed in the community for some years and while city council has worked hard to be “open for business,” concrete change has to come both from policy and from operations.
We expect that Townsite will continue to grow and attract more innovative, creative businesses. But since no one can say when that will happen, there is more than enough parking now for businesses and for the new ones we anticipate will be operating in the near future, like the proposed Townsite Mall.
With the recognition that new Townsite businesses benefit the entire community and are an integral part of the city’s economic development plans, we would hope that elected officials will have a review of parking requirements in the area. The review will signal that council is responsive to business concerns and is willing to have a look at ways to assist them to be successful.
