OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor ([email protected]). This letter is from a visitor from Toronto who is unhappy with the city's parking restrictions put in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
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Last weekend, my husband and I spent the night in Orillia at the Champlain Hotel.
We have always enjoyed visiting your city. One of our favourite restaurants is Theo's and the atmosphere and helpfulness were as good, if not better than ever, when we visited last week. We felt welcome.
The parking situation, however, seems to be a deterrent for us to visit in the future.
We enjoy shopping in the stores and also spending our time at the waterfront. The new rate and parking locations are now a problem for us.
Firstly, a rate of $50 conveys the message: you are not welcome here. The location of the parking for visitors means that my husband, who is physically disabled, has to walk further to get to the waterfront and it implies that visitors are second rate.
I find it surprising that business owners on the main street are in favour of this policy. Once we have left the hotel where we have paid to stay, we are additionally charged $50 just to enjoy the waterfront.
It seems unlikely that you have considered small business owners on the main street. I find it hard to imagine local people shop enough at these stores to support them throughout the year.
Your city has its share of people suffering and I do not believe that this attitude towards tourists is helpful to building a better economy in Orillia. Stephen Leacock would be ashamed of such actions.
These days, we need to pull together and help each other through these challenging times. I always try to shop Canadian and support our economy. I would have imagined cities would do so even more than individuals.
Unfortunately, whoever voted for this ridiculous policy had something else in mind.
Jayne Price
Toronto
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