Anyone who has visited the Historic Old Town in Niagara-on-the-Lake knows it’s a busy place.
With a small footprint and large daily tourist crowds, space can become an issue, especially when it comes to parking.
The town says there are 2,845 parking spots in Old Town for cars. This does not include 34 bus spots and 10 RV parking spots, which are all at Fort George.
In 2023, the annual average daily traffic on Queen Street, between Mississagua and King streets, was about 7,500 cars per day, though not all of these cars may necessarily be parking in this area.
Those are some of the numbers, but what do people in Old Town say?
The Lake Report spoke with locals and tourists last Friday, who shared mixed opinions about the state of parking in Old Town. The contrast is especially clear between two business owners who work just blocks apart on Queen Street.
“I’m not aware there’s a massive problem,” said Scott Gauld, owner of Sunset Grill. “At any time of day, if I go out, I’ll find five or 10 parking spots.”
But Agatha Saviolidis, a manager at Cork’s Restaurant and Mama Cuisina, said both staff and customers continue to have complaints about finding a place to park.
“I think parking is an issue for staff,” she said. “It’s a problem; it depends on what time you start. First thing in the morning, it’s OK. But if someone starts in the later hour of the day, they’re circling around.”
She said guests often voice the same concern.
“(They say) there isn’t enough parking and it’s too expensive,” she said.
Some visitors The Lake Report spoke to agreed.
“On Queen Street, it can be quite difficult to get a spot,” said Raman Kalra of Georgetown, Ont. However, she added that parking lots just off Queen Street weren’t as bad.
Others, like Frank DeRose and George Miller from St. Davids, said they had no trouble at all.
“It took us no time at all,” DeRose said.
While opinions were split on the availability of space, there was broader criticism of the parking machines and rates. Metered parking in Niagara-on-the-Lake ranges from $5.25 to $5.75 per hour, enforced daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Several people said the machines are confusing, and the QR codes for the Honk Mobile app are not intuitive for all visitors.
“The machines have been tricky,” said Kim Gauld, Scott’s wife. “(Customers) were having problems with people not having the app on their phones.”
“(Customers) also say sometimes the meters are not working, so they get very upset,” said Saviolidis.
Even some who didn’t have trouble finding a space said the machines were a problem.
“The machine is a joke,” said DeRose. “I tried to put my information in, and it stalled.”
Others took issue with the principle of charging for parking in a tourist town.
“I think it should be free,” said DeRose. “Out-of-town tourists are already spending a lot of money.”
Scott Gauld, despite saying he doesn’t see a problem near his business, suggested the town convert the old municipal hospital site at 176 Wellington St. into a parking garage.
“This is my opinion as a citizen,” he said. “It seems like a slam dunk, easy way to get good return on investment.”
Whether that idea or free parking for tourists gains traction remains to be seen.
Still, in a town built on tourism, making it easier for people to park in the heart of its historic district may be worth considering.
“I think they should have more parking spaces,” said Kalra.
Over the last 10 years, the town said it’s made “several improvements” to make parking better in NOTL.
This includes making it more convenient to pay for parking, updating how parking enforcement is handled and, based on a council decision from 2023, extending the resident parking pass limit from one to three hours, to encourage people to visit local businesses.
