There's little doubt Ladner Village is in need of some type of parking enforcement. I should know, I'm part of the problem.
Most days I walk to work, but when it's raining, or when there's golf on TV to watch at lunch, I'll drive, which means I add to what seems to be a growing number of cars jockeying for a finite number of parking spaces.
To be fair, I never park in front of a store, but even snagging a spot in the triangular lot just west of Delta Street is likely forcing a would-be customer to look even harder to find somewhere to park.
All those involved in the issue have been reluctant to enforce parking restrictions already posted on signs throughout the village or implement new measures, but the situation has become so problematic it's finally prompted action. Ridding the streets of employee vehicles - the only folks who would need to park for more than three hours - will undoubtedly free up space for shoppers, and presuming fines offset enforcement costs, it will not be a drain on the public purse.
It will, however, have a domino effect.
Any time you prevent people from parking in a certain area, or charge them to do so, they look for alternatives - the absolute closest alternatives. The thinking is that employees displaced from village streets will park at nearby Memorial Park and walk to work from there, and although I'm sure some will do so, something tells me others might look for something closer.
The same people that didn't heed multiple gentle reminders about freeing up space for customers to park might not follow the advice and end up at Memorial. After all, if you're parking in front of your own store or someone else's, you're thinking more about your own convenience than the impact you're having on others.
For a business at the north end of Delta Street, Memorial Park can be a three-or four-block walk, which could make residential areas adjacent to the commercial core or private lots within it seem more appealing. Places like Ladner Harbour Centre have already, understandably, put drivers on notice they won't tolerate all-day parking and I suspect others will be forced to follow suit.
I have no doubt that parking enforcement in Ladner Village will result in more spaces available for shoppers, which is the ultimate goal of the longtalked about undertaking. The downside of this effort is that a parking problem might still persist - it will just be in a different location.
