Aurora GO temporary parking agreement with church will move forward

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 1, 2016
Teresa Latchford

Despite resident pleas to find an alternative to a temporary GO commuter parking lot at an Aurora church, the agreement will remain.

Resident Bob McRoberts took to the podium during a special council meeting in a final attempt to get the town to convince Metrolinx to find an alternative to using the parking lot at Our Lady of Grace Roman Catholic Church as overflow parking for the Aurora GO station for six months while the station is under construction.

“It is a heritage conservation area and it is not a good fit,” he said. “This is a reminder of why communication is so important.”

He and fellow residents expressed concerns at a previous meeting regarding the increase in traffic on residential streets in the area, safety and noise in the winter from snow removal vehicles.

While the town doesn’t have the jurisdiction to put the hammer down on the agreement since the use of the parking lot is in compliance with town bylaws, council made a unanimous decision to have town staff install additional traffic control measures to minimize traffic from the church parking lot into the heritage area along Catherine Avenue and Mark Street and that staff also request York Regional Police provide traffic management support for the same streets between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Councillor Wendy Gaertner expressed concern for the safety of pedestrians in the area, especially children and requested that it be addressed.

She also added a clause to the report stating the town should do everything in its power to ensure the current agreement between Metrolinx and the church not be extended past the allotted time period. Her fellow councillors agreed.

Mayor Geoff Dawe pointed out that the lease agreement between Metrolinx and the church has been signed and that Metrolinx doesn’t have any intention to rescind that agreement for the six-month period but the town can offer alternate solutions to the situation past the six-month mark.

Although Tom Mrakas would have preferred to provide an alternative site altogether, he understands the agreement is already in place and offered Shepherds Bush and the Aurora Family Leisure Complex on Industrial Parkway North as his preferred alternatives.

“Perhaps GO could forgo the reserved parking spaces that are currently in the parking structure,” suggested Councillor Harold Kim. “We should also approach the business owners on Industrial Parkway who might be able to offer 10 to 20 spaces each. We could probably find the 150 to 200 spaces GO needs.”

Prompted by a question about the use of the parking lot on the Aurora United Church property on Yonge Street, Dawe said the church has agreed allow the town to use it as public parking.

“Toronto has used the land under hydro right-of-ways very successfully for parking,” Dawe added. “The land is there and won’t be used for anything else, although we might need a shuttle service as it is a bit of a hike.”

Suggestions by councillor John Abel and Jeff Thom include the use of shuttles.

A staff report further examining GO parking opportunities on town owned property is expected in the future.