Parking -or lack thereof- is an issue during major events in Amherstburg

I was downtown July 1 and went to No Frills and upon talking to the cashier on the way out, we chatted about nobody in the store. 

I go out in the parking lot and it is jammed. I actually had to back up and go forward just to get out of the parking lot and then I looked around and I was seeing the same issue everywhere else in the area. 

I started thinking town hall dumps all over these merchants with their signs and other things but  think nothing of creating a big event inviting hundreds and hundreds of people to drive to town. Where do they plan on parking? In the supermarket lots and other nooks and crannies they can find. I think that the town assumes responsibility for parking locations when they create an event. 

The Canada Day Run appeared to a very successful event with hundreds and hundreds of cars coming downtown. 

Why should merchants allow parking on their private property that now hinders their business because customers can’t get in? 

The town should take full responsibility for finding parking spots for these cars. 

Now if they want to use the parking lot at No Frills or the other stores no problem give them a bit of a tax rebate for using their property. 

They’re the ones that maintain it. They’re the ones that assume liability when one of the visitors to the event trips in their parking lot getting into their car that shouldn’t be there, what number counsellors should be well aware of insurance liabilities. 

Remember they have come to work for the event. They didn’t come to shop at No Frills. They didn’t come to shop in Sobeys. They didn’t come to shop at Walmart and any other merchants who have a reasonable parking spaces. 

—Del Oxford

Amherstburg

Parking -or lack thereof- is an issue during major events in Amherstburg