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Parking woes on Taylorwood

City looking to curb illegal parking on street near UOIT, Durham College

A number of residents from Taylorwood Road have asked the city to ramp up efforts to stop illegal parking on the street located across from Durham College’s main residence. (Photo by Dave Flaherty)

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

It appears the city will ramp up its efforts to cease illegal parking on a residential street across from Durham College and UOIT.

Earlier in the summer, the city was presented with a petition from residents of Taylorwood Road, located off Simcoe Street North, across from Durham College’s main student residence.

The residents requested that Taylorwood Road, between Simcoe and Herbert Avenue, become a free parking zone.

The street currently has the following parking regulations:

– No parking at anytime on the north side of Taylorwood Road from Simcoe Street North to a point 55 meters west of Herbert Avenue. This parking restriction was implemented due to the 6.4 meter narrow section.

– No parking between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday on the north side of Taylorwood Road from a point 55 meters west of Herbert Avenue to Herbert Avenue; and no parking, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday’ on the south side of Taylorwood Road from Simcoe Street North to Herbert Avenue; and

– No parking at anytime restrictions on the south side of Taylorwood Road near the intersections of Taylorwood Road and Simcoe Street North and Taylorwood Road and Herbert Avenue.

However, resident Brenda Holly says these rules are rarely followed, especially by students of both schools.

“The signs are obviously not adhered to, especially on weekends, as the city doesn’t have the staff to monitor Taylorwood Road,” Holly told members of the city’s community services committee on Sept. 13.

Holly says drivers parking on the street have caused numerous headaches for local homeowners.

“It has become a parking lot for students, and a garbage dump for those who party there,” she adds.

She says lawns on the street are continually damaged by vehicles either parking on them or driving on them while making U-turns.

“It’s a continued expense for residents who have to replace their grass.”

Other concerns include the safety of residents backing out of their driveways and difficulties traveling down the road with cars parking on both sides.

To Holly, the root of the problem is the continual increase of development in the area without sufficient parking facilities.

She says one building which houses 400 students only has approximately 90 parking spots.

“I’d think everyone here would agree this is insufficient parking for these buildings,” she says.

Staff has agreed with the position of the residents and the committee has recommended council approve the no parking restrictions at the Sept. 24 council meeting.

Commissioner of community services Ron Diskey says if this is done, staff can be on the street changing the signs the next day.

“It would enforce no parking from Simcoe all the way down to Herbert. Basically the whole area would become a parking-free area,” Diskey said.

Councillor Doug Sanders said in the interim, bylaw officers should be in the area more frequently.

“We need to have bylaw up there enforcing. I think it begins to draw attention to the students when they are getting tickets,” Sanders said.

The owners of a student residence building at 33 Taylorwood Road are strongly opposed to the move.

In a letter addressed to the city, the owners stated it would be an “unnecessary and rash move that favours low density properties over high density properties approved by the city.”

They also noted that they heavily rely on the current parking rules for guests and visiting parents.

“We also rely on this parking for overflow during those times when we have multiple students moving into and out of the residences on the same weekends,” the letter states.

There are currently no paved shoulders or boulevards in front of the student residences, and the builder owners requested this work be completed by creating four “intended” parking spots using the boulevard.

“This would allow vehicles to be parked without hindering traffic. This would solve the issue for all parties involved and also provide safer street parking for visitors to both student residences approved by the City of Oshawa on Taylorwood Road,” the letter reads.

The owners of the student residences were not present at the Sept. 13 committee meeting.

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