I had to chuckle at Ms. Michel’s desire of how parking should be on Beacon Avenue in Sidney. Sidney is hardly “the Uptown Mall”, thankfully! The shopping areas of Sidney are a delight to walk around and I believe that was the intention of previous councils when the one way system was implemented. If “visitors cannot find their way out of town”, I would respectfully suggest those lost souls read the directive signs in many strategic areas. Moreover, in response to the few recent letters regarding return a two way system (which would allow more cars to choke up space on an already narrow street), I would like to suggest any move in that direction would be a significant relapse. After all, we are living in a society with a distinct green approach to many practices. Town and city planners are steering towards eliminating the flow of traffic in shopping areas by creating pedestrian only precincts/streets as opposed to parking slots immediately outside businesses.
What would happen to the many restaurateurs that serve ‘al fresco’ on the wide areas of our sidewalks that the one way system created? It would be very sad to see our town lose those delightful attributes.
In my humble opinion, the future of Beacon Avenue would be more of a shopping arcade style pedestrian only area from Fifth St. to Second St.
Less traffic and more walking space is a very desirable alternative when compared to angle parking for more gas guzzlers.
Adam Kanczula
Sidney