Drivers without disabilities who park their vehicles at the Glendenning Road lot inside Mount Douglas Park can expect a tougher time finding parking spots.
Saanich council voted against spending $80,000 to construct as many as five more vehicle spaces on Glendenning, close to the park trail, which is popular for its gentle grade.
The decision overrules a recommendation from the parks department that was intended to increase vehicle access to the popular trail.
“Afterward, I strongly suggested that the status quo was equally unacceptable and we needed to take an action to address this,” said Mayor Richard Atwell in an email to the Times Colonist.
Council then passed a motion, introduced by Coun. Vic Derman, asking that some of the five existing spaces in the Glendenning entrance parking lot be reserved for people with accessibility challenges.
A parking ban on the 500 metres of Glendenning closest to Mount Douglas Park went into effect without public consultation in August 2015 to ensure large fire trucks could get through. Glendenning is a narrow road with many mature trees.
Dave Poje, who campaigned against the on-street parking ban, said he sought easier access for seniors, families, people with older dogs and others to take advantage of the easy trail that begins at the Glendenning parking lot. He did not attend the council meeting, saying he was tired and discouraged after his “battles with the parks department.”
Coun. Colin Plant’s motion to create five more parking spots within the park did not fly with council.
A public survey suggested the majority of respondents disagreed with adding more parking in the park, and Saanich staff said adding five spaces inside the park would require three trees coming down, Atwell said.
“Now, the council haven spoken, the issue is dead, dead, dead,” Poje said in an email.
“If things are going to change in Saanich, it will be up to the voters to make it happen,” he said, referring to the 2018 municipal elections.
Ample parking appears to be available on Parkside Crescent at Winchester Road instead of the Glendenning parking lot, Atwell said.
“Although these unofficial parking spots were outside the scope of the staff report, which was unfortunate. I believe it provides a short-term solution until the park master plan is complete,” Atwell said.
“It may be necessary to construct a split-wood fence on Glendenning as a practical means to enforce the parking ban, as monitoring would place a burden on our police department.”
He added: “There is currently no plan for this, or council directive; I just believe that it may be necessary at some point.”
Council will need to address parking conflicts that might arise on residential streets, he said.
