TRURO - The time has come to change parking restrictions on a busy downtown street, says a Truro businessman.
Ray Merriam said he witnessed two people receive $15 fines while parked along Commercial Street on Tuesday.
Six signs are clearly posted reserving the parking spots, on the Victoria Square side of the street, for those using the Truro Welcome Centre.
"I think those signs should be changed to maybe 20-minute parking," Merriam told the Truro Daily News. "Then both (local people and visitors) could use it."
On Wednesday morning there were vehicles from Colorado and Connecticut as well as four with Nova Scotia plates and a straight-body truck from a Halifax-based company moving seats into the Bank of Montreal
building.
"That's commerce, that's economic spin-off," Merriam said of the business truck.
He said it is in a safer location for the truck to be parked than across the street where vehicles park on an angle onto the street.
Coun. Charles Cox, who chairs the town's tourism committee, said the parking is prohibited to ensure tourists can park close to the information bureau.
"We want to encourage tourism," he said.
Large RVs also require more parking space, making the additional parking area a
necessity.
Cox said employees at the welcome centre have posted information on vehicles to let them know they are breaking the law. During the summer town police were also asked to keep an eye on the situation.
The welcome centre is open from May to November and after the centre closes for the year parking tickets are not issued.
Merriam commended the town for realigning some streets and removing downtown parking metres during the past few years as well as the town's new signage strategy.
But he would like to see some changes to make the town easier to get around. One example is reducing the number of stops on Arthur Street.
"It's referred to as stop sign city," Merriam said.
And he would like to see more lights, equipped with a sensor to switch the lights if there is no traffic coming in the direction that has the green light, installed in town.
He also pointed to traffic jams from motorists trying to get into Truro from Bible Hill and surrounding communities.
"The time to deal with a problem is before it becomes one," Merriam said. "If we make it easier ... we create less frustration."
jmalloy@trurodaily.com
Street sense
Street sense
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Published on
October 1, 2009
- Published on January 1, 2010
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Jason Malloy
Parking reserved for welcome centre visitors only doesnt sit well with Truro businessman
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Comments
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- Tim
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:18:31
Why is Ray Merriam allowed to use the TDN as his personal soap box? They should just put him on staff. Although it's nice to see they didn't mention his business name this time, to avoid the usual free advertising. How about covering what our MLA has been doing since taking office, or what the Red Cross is doing in the community. Anything.
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- Aurora
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:17:54
I think it is important to leave parking just for the information bureau. What point is there in offering the service to visitors if they can't pull up and go in to get the information they are looking for?
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- norm
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:14:54
I read the article often in these strings I am frustrated somewhat by those posting who don't read anything but the headers or captions to the photos.
LDC did you not yourself read the last 11 lines of the article,there is much more substance to his observations than those 6 parking spaces.
You all have the right to express your opinions,but the stating of such as fact when they are actually hearsay is similar to the internet rumor ,one great point elucidated by Jason is that one of the licenses was out of date,that means he originally had one,not that he opened an establishment without one---so much for that bit of hearsay.
Another ,I don't get out in the country much but you can't tell me the cheese man for one doesn't have a storefront operation.
If that huge sign doesn't equivocate to a store front,then someone is merely playing with semantics'
You may like or dislike the person your privilege,but it's a free country last I heard,and the man has a right to be heard!
Jealous,resentful,call Jason or Harry with an issue and see if you are offered the same coverage and treatment,and don't preclude the possibility until you've actually tried to because talk is cheap.having the guts to go forward in the public eye is difficult and often thankless.
Does truro have a traffic problem,let's study it for another 20 years. -
- Here we go again
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:09:46
It seems everytime his biz is slow he jumps on some bandwagon to get his face in the TDN. Come on TDN make Ray Merriam pay for his advertising like the rest of us.
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- Sam
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:04:33
Mr Merriam is presented in this article as an individual. There is no mention off this business interests and/or community association affiliations. As such, to the lay reader he is voicing his OPINION as an INDIVIDUAL.
My opinion on this matter is 100% different than this. Does that mean I'll be on the front page of the TDN vocing my opinion on this matter? I don't think so.
Bottom line: opinions belong in the Letter's To The Editor section unless everyone who has an opinion on something gets a front page news story done on their opinion.
In regard to how Mr. Merriam got his front page coverage ... well ... lacking a formal explanation from the TDN I believe many Truro residents can understand how this happened. Shame on the TDN. -
- Jason
- - January 18, 2010 at 11:00:02
like him or dislike him, he is raising valid issues. I have always thought Truro should switch their lights to 4 way stops after say 10 or 11pm. If Halifax can handle it in their major intersections, I'm pretty sure we can in Truro. I think this is a better idea then putting money into sensors, and a lot faster way to get around, as it's stop and go for everyone vs waiting for the sensor to pick you up and switch the lights (I've seen it all too much down here) As far as the parking on Commercial Street.. I don't think I get what he's trying to accomplish? Promote Tourism by removing parking ?? That makes no sense.. agreed, if you have to goto the BOM there tends to be no parking, and you have to drive around the block a few times till there is parking, but to remove it from the tourist bureau is not the answer. Maybe rally for a parking garage structure somewheres close to downtown if parking is so bad (which I haven't really noticed it to be that bad whenever I am home)
--That link you guys are sporting is broke and I can't find the fair trade cafe anywhere in the database?? -
- Ken
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:58:47
Parking in that area is a seasonal issue.
I agree that Mr.Merriam like to get his name and face in the TDN. He should be concernerd about the Department of Health Inspections. -
- Reg
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:58:21
Maybe if our MLA actually did something, there'd be no need to have Mr. Merriam's mug on the front of the paper...
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- Ardith
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:56:27
Whoever thought the traffic control in the town is perfect? It is a joke! and it's no wonder Mr. Merriman is up close and personel in his comments. The man is right and if the populi think the way traffic flows in the town then there is someting wrong with my perception of normalcy. It's a mess and certainly needs more people to speak up instead of complaining to each other.
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- Jim
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:55:12
I'm sick and tired of seeing this guy in my local paper. I agree with all the comments - it's all about him. He's just an ignorant businessman who benefitted from the fair trade fad. My questions is, who's going to pay for all of these changes Mr.Merriam. My taxes are already high enough.
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- stacy
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:51:20
there should be sensor to switch the lights it's like TRURO is 20 years behind other places.
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- Tony
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:50:42
Agree need to cut down on the 4 way stops to allow better travel through the town.
It is discouraging to go down town or try to cross through with so many stops. Light with sensors would make good sense!!!!e -
- TruroGuy
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:47:25
Ardith, great that someone in Mississauga is looking at our traffic problems, I can sleep better knowing that. Leadership issues at the TDN's are why stories like this make it's front page, there is no leadership.
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- Larry
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:46:07
Ahh, you've got to love Truro. There's not many places you can go anymore where a light will turn red on you at 3:00 in the morning with no traffic. Straying away from Commercial St and heading further East...coming from Bible Hill, did you ever try to turn left by McWilsons onto Queen? No advance arrow, it was disconnected. That's Truro engineering for you!
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- flogger
- - January 18, 2010 at 10:45:52
Truro needs flashing pedestrian crosswalk signage in the downtown. The town also needs to remove the parking spots that are too close to crosswalks, especially on Prince Street. What nutcase came up with the idea of putting jagged curbs on Inglis Place?? This is all we need to scrape the wheels and puncture/damage tires on our cars. Try complaing to the apathetic town councellors and they'll just sweep you under the carpet like everyone else. Welcome to Truro, the greatest town in the whole of Canada!! LMAO!!
