Downtown Curbside Pickup Parking Zones Being Removed

The designated curbside pickup parking zones in downtown Peterborough will begin to be removed this week with the regular parking rules resuming for those spaces.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough

The City created the curbside pickup zones in January 2021 to assist residents and businesses during the provincewide lockdown.

With the easing of public health regulations allowing the return of indoor dining, retail and many personal services, curbside pickup activity has reduced according to the City.

The City consulted with the Downtown Business Improvement Area and several downtown businesses on the current need for the designated curbside pickup parking spaces since the province has emerged from the lockdown and public health regulations have eased to allow more indoor activities.

By resuming regular parking rules for these spaces, customers will be able to use the spaces for up to two hours instead of the reduced 15-minute limit for the designated curbside pickup parking zones.

Residents and visitors are reminded that on-street parking in the downtown is limited to a maximum period of two hours unless otherwise posted, and parking rates are $1.50 for each hour.

Customers can pay for parking at a parking meter or a pay-and-display machine with coins. The HotSpot App allows customers to pay for parking with credit or debit.

Parking is free evenings after 6 p.m., weekends and statutory holidays. The first hour of parking is free at the King Street Parkade on King Street between George and Aylmer streets.

The City will continue to monitor parking requirements and any changes to public health regulations to consider further adjustments to parking services, if necessary.

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City of Peterborough Setting Up Curbside Pick-Up Zones In Downtown

To support local businesses during the provincewide shutdown, the City of Peterborough has announced it is setting up curbside pick-up zones in the downtown core.

Signs will be installed to designate areas as a “15-minute curbside pickup zone”.  Each block in downtown Peterborough will have a zone on both sides of the street. 

During the shutdown, more customers are making quick stops for curbside pick-up rather than visits that require longer-term parking. The pick-up zones will ensure convenient, high-turnover parking access for customers.

"Local businesses are the backbone of our community and it's important that we support them, especially during this challenging time," says Mayor Diane Therrien.

Photo courtesy City of Peterborough

HOW CURBSIDE PICK-UP ZONES WORK

-> To ensure curbside pick-up zones are available for customers to conveniently access businesses, a maximum time limit of 15 minutes will be enforced.

-> Drivers using the new curbside pick-up zones will not have to pay for parking in these zones as long as they comply with the 15 minute time limit.

-> While stopped, drivers should turn off their vehicle in order to avoid idling as required under the City’s anti-idling by-law.

-> Parking longer than the 15 minute window could result in a parking ticket with a fine of $25.

Existing commercial loading zones, accessible parking spaces, bus stops and no-parking zones adjacent to intersections will be maintained, and drivers are reminded that enforcement of existing parking restrictions in these areas will continue. Theses spaces are not to be used for regular parking or for curbside pick-up zones.

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Parking In Peterborough Just Got Way Easier

The City of Peterborough is making metered/pay-and-display parking much more convenient with the launch of HotSpot’s pay-by-phone parking solution announced on Thursday (November 22nd).

Photo by Terry Guiel

DETAILS ON THE APP

HotSpot, a Canadian tech company, provides an affordable pay-for-membership mobile app that offers users convenient parking solutions including:

-> Notification when their paid time is close to expiring
-> The option to add more time up to the maximum for the space
-> The option to cancel their parking session early and be refunded for any unused time
-> Access to all metered/pay-and-display parking in Peterborough
-> Consistent service throughout the City of Peterborough and Trent University campuses.

“We are excited to bring this convenient option for Peterborough drivers,” says Mayor-Elect Diane Therrien. “Instead of digging for coins for the parking meter, they’ll now be able to use their smartphone to pay electronically.”

“We see many people who are shopping, getting a hair cut or eating a meal worry about a pending ticket, and those people being able to add a few more minutes with this app is going to be great for downtown businesses,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director, DBIA. “It’s great to see the city embrace this technology.”

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How To Guide On Parking Regulations in City of Peterborough

The City of Peterborough has released a breakdown of its parking restrictions. Read them below (and remember, we’re just the messenger so don’t give us any infractions)…

-> City-wide parking on streets with no meters – three-hour limit

The maximum time a vehicle can be parked on any City street with no meters is three hours. Additionally, many streets have further restrictions covering the times and dates when parking is permitted. Please read on-street parking signs carefully to determine if parking is permitted. If there is no sign, the three hour limit applies.

-> Downtown on-street parking – two-hour limit

Metered parking is provided on streets throughout downtown. On-street parking is intended for quick stops, usually less than an hour in length. The maximum stay at on-street metered spaces is two hours. Please respect these limits, as short term parking ensures that spaces are available for customers and visitors which, in turn, helps the downtown thrive. The rate for on-street parking is $1.25 per hour.

-> Parking for more than two hours, up to a full day

A map of municipal parking lots and both parking garages is online here. Lots and garages can be used for quick stops or longer visits. The rates are $1.50/hour or $10.50 maximum for all day parking at both Simcoe Street and King Street parking garages, with the first hour being free. Surface lots are $1.25/hour or $8.75 maximum for all day. All-day parking in surface lots is available at: Brock Lot, Chambers Lot, Reid Lot and the Del Crary Lot. 

-> Monthly parking passes 

Monthly parking passes are available at Simcoe Street Parking Garage, King Street Parkade, Rehill Lot and Del Crary Lot. Quantities are limited to ensure sufficient spaces are available for short-duration parking as well, so monthly passes occasionally sell out. Please call 705.742.7777 ext. 2763 to check availability.  

-> Additional restrictions

Additional parking restrictions are in place for the safety of motorists and pedestrians. For example, parking is restricted within proximity of Peterborough Transit stops, 18 metres in advance of or 30 metres beyond bus stops. A full list of infractions is available here.

-> Winter parking restrictions

Additional restrictions are in place from December 1st to April 1st annually to assist with winter road maintenance activities such as snow clearing and preventing ice buildup. Please visit here for details.

-> Parking infractions

Parking infractions in the City of Peterborough result in fines ranging from $25 for standard infractions such as “parked longer than maximum permitted period”, up to $300 for “parked in accessible parking space”. Details on parking infraction rates are online here.

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The Parking Meter Was Broken But Here's A Feel Good Peterborough Story

Musician/actress Kate Suhr posted this message and photo to her Facebook page below about a great experience she had in downtown Peterborough.

Kate suhr (Photo by Sam Gaetz)

Suhr tells PTBOCanada she was compelled to post it to Facebook because it was such a genuine Peterborough moment:

"I was running late for a photoshoot with Jennifer Moher and the open parking spot I found at George and Hunter had a meter that was out of order," she tells PTBOCanada. "I decided to write a quick little note and left the money by the windshield.....silly, I realize.

I told Jen what I had done and she laughed so hard, both of us assuming the coins would be gone and I would have a ticket. Low and behold, hours later the money was still there and better yet—no ticket! I had a little giggle and couldn't believe it. Toronto is ruthless when it comes to parking, so this stunned me. I actually said out loud, 'I love this place.' Only in Peterborough."

True dat.

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Would It Curb Your Enthusiasm If City of Peterborough Banned Parking On Front Lawns?

It's a possible bylaw that everyone in Peterborough is talking about: should people be allowed to park their vehicles on their front lawn?

Peterborough city council is considering such a bylaw in the coming months—only after public input—that could make parking on front lawns illegal in the city.

Some people just don't always have room on their driveway for their vehicles—or have guests with cars—and choose to park one or two on the lawn to make room.

Other municipalities have similar bylaws to the one Peterborough council is considering.

So what do you think? Do you think people should be ticketed for parking on their front lawn? Or would it curb your enthusiasm if such a bylaw were implemented? Tell us on Facebook.

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Dude, Where's My Car? 7 Things You Need To Know About Winter Parking Restrictions

Dude?

Winter parking restrictions are now in effect in Peterborough. Here is what you need to know:

1. These restrictions are in place to assist snow-clearing operations.

2. From December 1st to April 1st each year, parking is prohibited on all City streets from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. This allows better snow clearing of City streets at a lower cost because equipment will not have to return to clear areas where vehicles were parked. The fine for a violation is $15.

3. During a snowstorm, when snow-clearing is underway, no stopping is permitted on any city street. Snow-clearing operations typically take place between midnight and 8:00 a.m. The fine is $80 for this violation and the vehicle will be towed.

4. If your car is towed, all vehicles north of Parkhill Road will be towed to Milroy Park located at 242 Milroy Drive, with all other vehicles being towed to Morrow Park located at 171 Lansdowne St. W. After 24 hours, all unclaimed vehicles will be towed to an impound yard at the owners expense.

Dude?

5. Free overnight parking is permitted at all municipal parking lots, King Street Parkade and Simcoe Parking Garage. Vehicles parked overnight at either parking garage can obtain a gate-arm ticket upon entry to the garage to be used for a free transit trip home.

6. Parking is normally permitted throughout the day and evening during snowy weather. Only in an extreme weather event would a public service announcement be initiated to remove vehicles from city streets during the day or evening.

7. Residents are reminded that there is no parking any time of the year on city streets for longer than 3 hours, except where a sign indicates otherwise.

For more information, call the Parking Division at 705-742-7777 ext. 2802.

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