Orillia creates temporary downtown parking lot

Another temporary parking lot will somewhat alleviate Orillia’s downtown waterfront parking headache.

Two municipal lots were closed in early July so landowner and developer FRAM Building Group (FRAM) could be its environmental work on the downtown property.

However, workers and businesses in the city were in despair over the loss of parking spots, so city staff have taken up the challenge of mitigating the loss of the former and temporary parking lots.

Working with FRAM, the City of Orillia plans to sign a lease agreement to accommodate more than 60 temporary parking spaces at 70 Front St. N.

“FRAM has kindly offered to lease a portion of their property to the city to be used as temporary municipal parking,” said Mayor Steve Clarke. “I would like to thank FRAM for this gesture. This additional parking will come as welcomed news to surrounding businesses during the busy summer season and as construction begins in the area next month.”

• RELATED: Orillia's temporary parking lots close upsetting business owners

City staff are working to ready the temporary parking lot for an anticipated opening of the end of July; however, the opening date will depend on getting all the necessary infrastructure in place by that timeframe.

Updates regarding the opening date will be posted on the city’s website and on social media channels.

The new temporary municipal parking lot, known as “Lot 13”, will consist of 65 regular parking stalls and three accessible parking spaces per the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The parking rate for Lot 13 will be in line with the city’s current municipal parking lots and have an eight-hour time limit. Given the temporary nature of the lot, pay-and-display machines will not be installed. Parking can pay for parking by using the Passport Parking mobile application, which allows drivers to pay, extend, and manage their parking session. The Passport Parking app is available to download from all major app stores.

“I want to ensure that it is very clear that this is temporary parking only. The city continues to investigate other parking options for our downtown area for the long-term, and I look forward to seeing the results of the Waterfront and Downtown Area Traffic and Parking Study,” said Mayor Clarke.

A Waterfront and Downtown Area Traffic and Parking Study has taken place and is currently being reviewed by staff. The study will include recommendations related to parking for council’s consideration, such as the number of parking lots, spaces and their locations, along with parking management strategies, such as pricing, timing and availability. This study will be provided for council’s consideration within the next few months.

The property at 70 Front St. N. was sold to FRAM as part of the Waterfront Redevelopment Project earlier this year. As part of the sale, the City was able to lease parking lots for municipal use until such as time that they were required by FRAM. As part of the redevelopment environmental work taking place by FRAM at and around 70 Front St. N., temporary Municipal Parking Lots 8 and 12 were decommissioned on July 5, 2022.

To establish the temporary parking lot, amendments to the city’s traffic and parking by-law will be included on the July 21 Council agenda.