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A planned parking study in Duncan is in limbo

Motion defeated in a 3-3 tie
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Plans for a parking study in Duncan have hit a roadblock.

Duncan council defeated the motion for a $60,000 parking study that would consider the current and future parking needs of the city at last week’s meeting in a three-three tie vote in the absence of Mayor Phil Kent who was not in attendance.

Kent said he is considering using his authority as mayor to recall the issue at the next council meeting.

He said that decision will depend on the outcome of a budget meeting at city hall this week and a meeting between the city and the Downtown Duncan Business Improvement Association to discuss downtown issues.

Along with councillors Tom Duncan and John Horgan, Roger Bruce was one of the three councillors who voted against the parking study.

He said a main reason for his decision was the potential cost of the study on Duncan’s taxpayers.

“I’m more inclined to spend the money on other important issues, like putting in new sidewalk lights at a number of intersections,” Bruce said.

“Maybe it’s best to revisit the parking study issue after the amalgamation vote [between the City of Duncan and the Municipality of North Cowichan] that’s being scheduled for May. With that vote just months away, I think it would be a prudent thing to do.”

The last time a major parking study was completed for Duncan was in 2003, so Kent said the city is looking for an update to determine what, if any, changes are required.

But he said it’s a fact that some councillors have issues around the money the study would cost.

“I appreciate that, but studies like this are a part of what we do here,” Kent said.

“I’ll make a decision as to whether I’ll reintroduce the vote on the parking study to council after the two meetings this week.”



robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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