Ottawa churches, businesses cram meeting on parking meters

Dozens of people packed a special city meeting on new parking regulations Wednesday, mostly to speak out against a plan to charge for evening and weekend parking at meters in downtown Ottawa.

More than 46 delegations, mostly church and business groups, were signed up to speak before the city's transportation committee, which was re-examining the changes to parking passed during budget deliberations in the fall.

Barbara Maynard, rector of St. Luke's Anglican Church on Somerset Street West, told the committee that the changes will impact parishioners who attend Sunday service, church volunteers who help provide social services to the community, and members of the choir.

She said choir members who drive to rehearsals and services will have to spend $18 a week if they park at city meters.

"To come and sing in St. Luke's choir, it would cost them three hours of parking on Thursday and three hours of parking on Sunday evening," she said.

City Coun. Jacques Legendre acknowledged that the downtown churches' concerns weren't on the radar when the new regulations were drafted.

"It didn't occur to me at the time, and for that shortcoming I apologize to you and to others," he said.

The city had intended to start charging the new fees on Feb. 1, but councillors on the corporate services and environment committee voted in January to delay the fees so staff could prepare a report on the plan's impact and the public could voice their concerns.