Free Erie Road parking lot adds three-hour daytime limit

Original article courtesy of Fort Erie Radio

A Crystal Beach parking lot will cap free daytime parking at three hours to stop long stays that squeezed access near Erie Road businesses.

The change affects the lot behind Planks Canada, accessible by Erie Road and Cambridge Road East, where drivers will get three free hours between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., then pay $2 an hour for up to two more hours.

Overnight parking will cost $5, and monthly overnight passes will cost $125.

Keith McTague of Planks Canada told Fort Erie Radio the goal is to keep the lot serving the downtown core.

Customers had trouble finding spaces in the winter because the lot was being occupied by vehicles that were not serving short-term business visits, McTague said.

Credit: Town of Fort Erie

Drivers must enter their licence plate number at the parking machine when they arrive, which starts the parking time for their vehicle.

McTague said he heard workers in the area worry they may lose the closest spots during evening hours.

“They probably won’t be able to park 10 steps from the businesses they work at, but they’ll be able to park within a few blocks,” said McTague.

The main risk, McTague said, is that paid overnight parking and monthly passes may be cheap enough for some drivers to legally occupy spaces for long periods.

McTague expects the Town of Fort Erie will have to test the system and adjust enforcement if the lot remains hard to access.