Osoyoos town council has a hefty challenge on its hands in trying to figure out the best way to approach the future of parking in downtown Osoyoos.

As a small town, keeping the restrictions on parking along our Main Street to a minimum is essential and could make the difference between a thriving business centre and a strip of struggling shops, salons and restaurants.

We certainly don’t want to go down the route of parking meters, short parking times or strict enforcement which could keep tourists and residential customers away from the downtown core.

At the same time it would be wise to keep some restrictions in place so Main Street doesn’t become a parking lot for people who want to dump their vehicles and take off for a day or weekend.

While council has said it will look at all the options surrounding downtown parking, including some suggestions from local merchants such as extended time limits and a token or parking pass system, one concept that may help keep the core healthy could be given more attention.

Walkability.

How many of us live within 15 minutes of the downtown and yet choose to drive?

How many of us could walk or bike when going to work or shopping?

Along with looking at ways to accommodate cars downtown, council may want to also look at more promotion of Osoyoos’s path and trail networks, including a new trail being built along the waterfront between the bridge on Hwy. 3 and the Lake Osoyoos Sailing Club.

The Town is preparing to open a new parking lot.

Let’s push for some new sidewalks around town too.

And maybe more bike racks along Main Street and other busy areas, or improved crosswalks on Main Street that make crossing a little less treacherous.

Just a thought.

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This is a last call for submissions for the Why I Relay series of articles the Osoyoos Times will be running in advance of the June 20 Relay for Life at Desert Park.

We’re looking for stories from local residents about why they participate in the relay.

Submissions can be emailed to [email protected] or dropped off at our office at 8712 Main St.

Look for the first article in the series to appear in the May 20th issue.