Parking a new cost

By Kristine Klein

Parking meters going up for Windsor downtown.

City council is weighing a proposal made during budget deliberations to boost parking meter fees by 25 cents.

Although college students and business owners say council should not go through with this idea.

“We already pay so much for tuition, books, gas and food. Increasing the costs for parking meter would be harder for me and many other students that drive,” said Amara Tatton, 19, currently attending St. Clair College, in the Marketing and Advertising program.

Chair of the DWBIA Larry Horwitz said it would be better to look at the possibility of free parking on Saturdays. That idea is supported by many students.

“It would be nice if they could come up with a different solution to raise more money,” said Amber Sauve, 18, attending St. Clair College Centre For The Arts, in the Paralegal program.

The extra 25 cents at meters and lots in Windsor should generate an extra $300,000 in revenue according to city officials.

“I’m aware of the situation and the reasoning behind it but I do believe the price is going up a lot because it really does add up,” said Tricia Petryschuk, 55. “Being a single mother of a daughter who doesn’t work, I do give her money for parking, so the increase cost in parking meters really does affect me because I also pay a lot of taxes to add on top of that.”

Windsor is currently running a $1.8-million off-street parking reserve deficit according to Blackburn News.