Parking lots for fishermen shouldn't be iced, says mayor

[Spiel]

Parking lots for fishermen shouldn't be iced, says mayor

Marilyn Pearce urges staff to continue looking at areas for anglers to park on Scugog Island

 

 

Jan 14, 2009

Chris Hall / newsdurhamregion.com

 

 

SCUGOG -- The cost of providing parking for ice fishermen may be trumped by the economic value those who enjoy dropping a line into Lake Scugog bring to the community.

 

While certainly pleased on one hand with how strictly the municipality's bylaw department was patrolling roads on Scugog Island when it comes to policing where ice fishermen park their vehicles, Scugog's elected officials also agreed Monday that perhaps it was time to take a closer look at providing a pay-parking area for angling enthusiasts.

 

According to a staff report, the municipality's bylaw department had issued 25 tickets for parking violations on Scugog Island roads since Jan. 1 -- the start of the 2009 ice-fishing season on Lake Scugog.

 

"I'm pleased to see this report, this is ammunition when I get a call from (island residents) who say they never see bylaw around," said Ward 3 Councillor Lynn Philip Hodgson, who represents Scugog Island residents.

 

Such patrols, explained bylaw officer Matt Balser, are carried out at random, at all times of day during the week. He added a batch of new parking restriction signs erected on some Scugog Island roads last year also seem to be working.

 

"Motorists seem to be obeying all the signs," he said.

 

When quizzed by Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce, however, it was pointed out by staff that efforts to make arrangements with officials at Goreski's Lakeside Resort to set up a pay-parking area have not panned out to date.

 

Simply, explained Gene Chartier, the Township's commissioner of planning and public works, Goreski's officials did not want to pick up the cost of plowing the lot or installing signs -- an added expense staff did not think the municipality would want to cover either.

 

The mayor, however, pointed out the municipality should be looking at "how we can improve all aspects of tourism and ice fishing is part of tourism."

 

She then requested staff touch base with Goreski's officials to see how many vehicles could be accommodated at the site, what it would cost to park there, how parking fees would be enforced and who would collect such charges.

 

"I don't think we should simply walk away," said Mayor Pearce. "The opportunity for people to park their cars safely and proceed to ice fish is something I don't think we should dismiss."

 

She later added, "Let's take seriously this idea of parking lots for ice fishermen and where they are. Let's look at what those costs actually could be."