Areas of work
Two downtowns with different needs
Elora and Fergus are growing downtowns with strong local identities. Parking supports their businesses and visitor economy. It also affects accessibility, deliveries, public space, walking, cycling, and the experience of moving through each community.
Elora experienced concentrated parking pressure near its commercial core, especially on weekends and during the tourism season. Fergus generally had spaces available across the downtown, although the most convenient locations could still be busy. Other spaces were less visible or felt less convenient to use.
The Township needed a strategy that addressed current operations and long-term growth while recognizing the needs of residents, businesses, employees, customers, visitors, deliveries, people with disabilities, events, and the downtown shuttle.
My role
I served as Consultant Project Manager. I directed the analysis from background review and data collection through forecasting, recommendations, financial analysis, and the final report. I also played a leading role in public engagement, facilitated public events, and delivered project presentations.
My role was to keep the work connected. Parking counts needed to answer questions raised by the community. Stakeholder concerns needed to inform the needs assessment. Recommendations had to be technically sound, understandable to Council, and realistic for Township staff to implement.
Listening across the community
I helped lead the engagement program and facilitated public events, including separate stakeholder meetings for Elora and Fergus, a public open house, and a meeting at a Township event. Residents, businesses, employees, and visitors could also respond to online surveys or make direct contact.
The three surveys received 443 responses: 336 from residents, 88 from business owners and employees, and 19 from visitors. An interim presentation brought the study findings and community feedback to Council in November 2023.
The conversations showed how differently people use downtown parking. Customers and visitors wanted convenient short-term spaces. Employees and some downtown residents needed longer-term options. Businesses raised deliveries, customer turnover, enforcement, and wayfinding. People with mobility constraints needed reliable access close to destinations. Participants also asked the Township to consider walking, cycling, public space, road closures, and the shuttle as part of the strategy.
Building the technical foundation
Under my direction, the study surveyed on-street spaces and nine municipal parking lots across both downtowns. Data was collected on weekdays and weekends, including a special-event survey during Riverfest. The work measured utilization and turnover, reviewed enforcement and shuttle data, examined parking regulations and development standards, and compared practices in other municipalities.
In Elora, on-street parking reached 92% to 96% utilization during the busiest weekend hours. The study found an immediate need for additional municipal spaces and projected further demand by 2030.
Fergus had spaces available across the study area. Some streets and lots were busy while capacity remained elsewhere. Better information, walking connections, and demand management could make that supply easier to use.
A phased strategy
The final strategy combined near-term operational changes with longer-term investment. Recommendations included joint-use agreements, employee permit programs, clearer wayfinding, changes to time limits, improved accessible parking, changes to enforcement, and continued review of the shuttle service.
Future parking structures were identified for further study as conditions change. The financial analysis tested funding tools and established an order-of-magnitude basis for future decisions.
The phased plan allowed the Township to start with practical measures, collect new evidence, and prepare for larger investments. Council approved the strategy in September 2024. Later implementation decisions remain the responsibility of the Township.