The City of Delta recently installed no parking signs on a road near a popular trail, but only where parking was never allowed in the first place.
That’s according to city manager Sean McGill regarding a recent resident complaint about no parking signs installed near the Brunswick Point Trail at the end of River Road West.
McGill explained the signs were installed in response to ongoing challenges and concerns that have been raised about locations where the road width does not support parking without vehicles blocking a portion of the travel lane.
“In other words, parking has never been allowed in these locations, but people continued to park on the road edge blocking portions of the road,” McGill said in an emailed response to the Optimist. “This led to an unsafe situation and the inability for large farm vehicles to navigate. In addition, the signs create safe turning radiuses at corners and ensure emergency access to the dike is not blocked. With the sheer number of illegally parked cars, it was very difficult for vehicles to safely navigate through this area. We also provided signage to reduce the number of vehicles either blocking access to or u-turning on private property.
“The signs are really ensuring safety to dike users and local residents. We also did not restrict all parking in the area, only those spots that could not physically accommodate the parking. We will continue to look for other options to ensure that residents have access to outdoor space and will be reporting back to council.”
McGill added they are trying to balance the increased demand for access to recreational areas in the community with safety and impacts to local residents.
