Mayor Bobbie Drew has indicated that no monetary increase will be forthcoming from Scugog to secure a contract with the Brock family for public use of their parking area. Couldn’t the ongoing revenue from the film production company be used for that purpose? And now the Township is considering the elimination of all Queen Street parking in the downtown core [during the summer months] which would include the accessible parking spaces, to establish a ‘Pedestrian Mall’. Really? Just where do they consider that those 34 vehicles will be parked? Obviously not behind Brock’s! The BIA doesn’t subsidize parking. Maybe it’s time they did. To paraphrase Premier Ford, ‘A Buck A Business’ could ensure the Brock’s parking area for public use. Just one disgruntled visitor, unable or unwilling, ‘to walk a little bit’, Tweeting their displeasure on social media, could irreparably damage the reputation of Port Perry. The Brock family have had a business on Queen Street for over 135 years. Their business revenue decline, if you can’t park, you can’t shop, and the expense of securely enclosing that parking area, would be significant. I urge all downtown businesses to persuade everyone involved in this debacle to quickly resolve this dispute to secure this vital public parking.
Anna Spencley Scugog