[thistleclub]

Webster’s Falls to set become a car-free zone
(Dundas Star, Richard Leitner, Aug 11 2016)

The Hamilton Conservation Authority is preparing to close all parking lots at Webster’s Falls on weekends and holidays between Victoria Day and the end of October.

Chief administrative officer Chris Firth-Eagland said the change, set to take effect this fall, is awaiting some final discussions with the city on also imposing a parking ban on neighbouring streets on those days.

Visitors will have the option of walking to the park or taking a new privately run shuttle bus service from Mizener’s Antiques and Flea Market on Highway 5.

It’s the latest attempt to address neighbours’ complaints about traffic congestion at the popular Greensville park and comes just months after the authority hiked parking and entrance fees to discourage large crowds.

“We’re trying to drive towards giving the community some relief from having all these cars and parking on their streets and jamming up the whole community,” Firth-Eagland said.

Think Greensville, the shuttle-bus operator, will be allowed to sell up to 3,000 wristbands per day at $5 apiece. The wristbands will give visitors access to Webster’s Falls and any other conservation area.

In return, Think Greensville will pocket the $10 charge for parking at Mizener’s, which is about four kilometres away and has room for 1,000 vehicles.

Firth-Eagland said the authority believes Webster’s can handle up to 3,000 people but won’t reach that peak at any time because visitors won’t stay the full day.

“We feel it’s a very reasonable number to not get the park over capacity,” he said. “It’s not at this time the capacity of the park; it’s the capacity of the surrounding lands. We don’t have the parking infrastructure to support that many people.”


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