By Chad Ingram

Minden Hills is extending a no parkingzone along Bobcaygeon Road from Invergordon Avenue to Fleming Road.

During the summer council voted toresurface and sign a little-used municipal parking lot at theintersection of Bobcaygeon Road and Deep Bay Road and to installno-parking signage along Bobcaygeon Road adjacent to Monk's FuneralHome.

While there were once parallel parkingstalls along the stretch a widening of the sidewalk there a fewyears ago removed the parking spaces. However residents continue topark in front of the businesses.

At their Oct. 29 meeting councillorssupporting a recommendation from the township's roads advisorycommittee voted to extend that no parking zone along Bobcaygeon Roadfrom Invergordon Avenue to Fleming Road near the entrance to thefairgrounds.

Councillor Pam Sayne said she wantedmerchants in the area to be notified of the change adding they werenot consulted before council's decision in the summer.

“I think you created a bit of aconflict in the community without notifying them first” Sayne toldstaff members.

Councillor Jeanne Anthon noted thatpeople continued to park in front of the businesses adjacent toMonk's and asked when no-parking signage would be going up.

Bylaw officer Colin McKnight said thedepartment had been waiting to put up signage until council decidedif it was going to extend the no-parking zone to Fleming Road.

Reeve Brent Devolin noted the municipalparking lot near Deep Bay Road seems to be handling traffic fineadding that he has not seen it full.

“It seems like there's capacity forthose businesses” he said.

Roads director Travis Wilson notingthere are sidewalks on both sides of Bobcaygeon Road through thatpart of the village said during future reconstruction work it mightbe possible to remove the sidewalk from one side installing parkingspaces instead.

The roads committee recently submitted areport with a number of suggested changes to parking throughout thevillage.

Devolin said those suggestions could beexplored over time.

“In my mind they all have dollarfigures associated with them” the reeve said.

Fines for parking in a no-parking zonein Minden Hills are $15 or $300 for parking in an accessible parkingspot without proper documentation.