A parking study of the Hespeler Village core area has concluded there is no need for the city to create additional parking to satisfy projected future parking demand within the core.
The city initiated the study as a way to determine future parking demand generated by residential developments planned in or near the core.
There are currently 294 available spots for parking in on-street spaces and off-street lots in the Hespeler Village core. That area is defined by Sheffield Street across the river to the west, south down Queen Street to about Harvey Street, north up Queen to beyond Spring Street, and east up Adam Street to Tannery Street.
One development expected to generate more parking demand in the short term is the five-storey mixed-use residential and commercial building under construction at the corner of Queen and Adam streets.
Further south down Queen Street, council recently approved a 37-unit apartment building for the vacant lot at Winston Boulevard. And across from it, Blacks Point Development is getting ready to transform the old Silknit textile mill into a 114 unit condominium with commercial space on the ground floor. That project has a second phase that would add a 10-storey tower and another 115 units.
As part of the city's study, a sensitivity analysis was completed to evaluate future parking demand and found that the existing parking supply is adequate until 2041 under the base population growth rate scenario of .3 per cent. By then, the city predicts parking demand is likely to exceed the existing supply by 38 spaces.
The analysis also found that even under a 1.2 per cent population growth rate scenario, existing parking supply is projected to satisfy demand until 2029.
The informal lot located behind the street-fronting gazebo at 25 Queen Street East was evaluated as a potential location where the city could introduce additional parking spaces, but staff determined it doesn't meet design and accessibility standards.
Other properties that could potentially provide additional parking infrastructure for the core area included 7 Queen Street West (20 spaces), 10 Guelph Avenue (32 spaces), 3-11 Queen Street East (10 spaces), and 42 Tannery Street East (50 spaces).
The city says these locations will need to undergo a cost/benefit analysis and accessibility review prior to the city acquiring the property for use as a municipal parking lot.
During the study, staff observed that the average parking duration in a majority of the on-street and off-street parking areas exceeded time-limit regulations.
To manage this and direct people to park in under-utilized areas on the edge of the core, staff is recommending the city consider introducing "parking management strategies." Those strategies could include marketing efforts, better signage and use of mobile apps. The city could also encourage alternative ways for residents to get into the core and implement paid parking areas.
In the meantime, staff has recommended spending about $2,500 to make some minor modifications to pavement markings at its accessible off-street parking stalls to comply with design standards.
Public engagement for the parking study on the Engage Cambridge website gathered input from 211 participants.
Of those who responded, 84 per cent said they use a vehicle to travel to the Hespeler Village core.
About 60 per cent said they prefer a one-to-three minute walk to their destination, 32 per cent would prefer a parking spot within a three-to-five minute walk, and 79 per cent are not willing to pay a fee for a more convenient parking space.
About 60 per cent of those polled said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the current parking availability.
