Council doesn’t look at the Greater Good of Commuting: reader

August 17, 2016 · 0 Comments

(Re: Commuter Parking Moving Northward concerns Council, neighbours, July 14)

I thought Ms. Moore’s position was admirable. This was a letter from someone who does not support parking restrictions for commuters in her very own neighbourhood.
Talk about taking the high road on commuting when it would impact her own convenience!
I, too, believe that Council does not support the imperative of commuting for the good of the community and the environment.
This was also evident when the Council put forward the motion last December regarding GO transit that “Council communicate to the Region of York and Metrolinx to investigate whether charging for parking would make sense.”
This with no shuttle service available as an alternative and fares that are costing commuters an incredibly high $9.00 each way!?!
Really? Council can’t be serious about restricting street parking when the parking lot gets full as it so often is due to all the new development happening in Aurora, etc., or charging for parking at the GO Station. These actions are wrong on so many levels.
Firstly, the goal is to encourage more people to use public transit (remember the Paris Climate Conference?). Secondly, many people have no choice but to drive as they may live where a shuttle bus would not go (if there was one) or they may have childcare drop-off/pick-up obligations.
I would ask that Council re-frame their position to be one of encouraging commuting in all of their future actions. We need to think of it as the sustainable, economical way of the future.

Joyce Deutsch
Aurora