March 14, 2023
Town of Sidney Council Meeting Highlights: March 13, 2023
Sidney, BC.;
Highlights from regular Council meetings provide a brief summary of some items of broad public interest. The summary is not inclusive of all agenda items. Please refer to www.www.sidney.ca for the full agenda, minutes, and webcast.
Council approves funding agreement for Mary Winspear Centre
The Town has had a longstanding funding commitment to the Mary Winspear Centre, the community’s cultural and events hub. The Town provides annual operating funds to the Centre equivalent to 3% of municipal property tax revenues. Funding for 2023 will be $385,364. With the cooperation of the Centre’s governing body, the Memorial Park Society, a new funding agreement between the parties is now in place. The purpose of the agreement is to provide additional accountability and transparency for the use of public funds. The new agreement calls for additional financial reporting, and an annual presentation to Council on operating results and strategic priorities.
Council considers 2022 Downtown Parking Study
To better understand the parking conditions in downtown Sidney, the Town hired a consultant, WATT Consulting Group in 2022, to conduct a parking study focused primarily on downtown Sidney. The parking study involved collecting parking data over four dates from August to October. After reviewing the study findings, Council asked for the parking data to be further refined, by removing the Employee Parking Lot at the Mary Winspear Centre from Sidney’s downtown commercial core parking area. Council has also requested that the study analyze the potential impacts of downtown bikes lanes currently proposed in the Draft Active Transportation Plan for Bevan Avenue and parts of Fifth Street.
The parking study included a range of recommendations from the consultant for Council to consider. Council has asked Town staff to move forward with some recommendations that are more operational in nature, and to report back on other recommendations that are more significant at a future Council meeting.
Staff Report & 2022 Downtown Parking Study
Video (1:53:28)
Media Contact:
Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith
Town of Sidney
250-656-1139
mayor@sidney.ca