Parking problems persist at Glen Walter park

In this Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, file photo, a truck drives by the South Glengarry waterfront park in Glen Walter, Ont. Deputy Mayor Frank Prevost is concerned the township could be open to liability as parking problems persist at the park on County Road 2. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

LANCASTER – Despite putting up no parking signs, the temptation of a new Glen Walter municipal park is causing people to park illegally.

South Glengarry “Waterfront Park” signs went up at the green space on County Road 2 in Glen Walter, despite council never actually officially deeming it as a park.

“I think we need to get them (the signs) down…all of them,” Deputy Mayor Frank Prevost said during a Sept. 5 council meeting.

After no parking signs went up the week of Aug. 20, there were still people parking on the side of the road blocking the bike path and causing line of sight problems on the highway, Prevost explained.

He’s concerned the township could be liable if there’s an accident on County Road 2.

“Even if they’re parked illegally and an accident happens, the insurance company knows who they’re coming after,” Prevost said, referring to the township.

“I never seen cars park along the side of that property until the waterfront park signs went up,” Prevost added.

The deputy mayor said the problem is also spilling over to the gas station across the road, which is refusing requests from park patrons to park their cars.

“I just think we need to make a decision as a council in regards to, are we going to put a roadway in there to allow traffic to get off the highway or are we going to fence it off where nobody can go there or are we going to get rid of the property. That was never a discussion. The signs went up instead,” Prevost said.

Coun. Bill McKenzie agreed the signs should come down.

While council discussed the situation and the majority of council appeared to agree the signs should come down, no formal resolution was passed that night.