A message for the citizens of Sutton from the Mayor 3 July 2020: The updated relaunch plan
As a consequence of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), all across Quebec, towns and villages, big and small, are putting in place plans to temporarily redesign streets and public spaces so that residents and visitors alike can move about in safety and with confidence. Considering the speed of progress of the de-confinement period I asked for our own plan to be updated to reflect not only the current reality of the pandemic, but also the preoccupations and suggestions of many of our citizens and business owners.
Next week, 25 of the designated parking spaces directly on rue Principale will be removed and the freed-up space given over to pedestrians; this extra space will stay in place through Thanksgiving. The sections chosen are the busiest ones and or where the pavement is narrowest: on the east side between rue Mountain and rue Maple and on the west side between Au Naturel and rue Academy. A line of bollards and pots of flowers will be installed to mark off the new extended pedestrian areas.
Close study of the number of parking spaces in the village core indicates that we can compensate for a temporary loss of up to 30 parking spaces. As things stand, we do not plan to use the site of the former Filtex factory as a parking lot.
Better management of municipal parking includes clearly signposting municipal lots from the road, and distribution of a plan of parking sites. A map will be installed at the lot between the Post Office and the John Sleeth Centre, and at the Parc des Veterans lot. There will be a maximum two-hour parking period on rue Principale and in the entire parking lot next to the Post Office. Citizens and visitors who wish to park for a longer period, such as cyclists, will be directed to the summer parking lot next to the Curling Club. We will keep a close eye on the impact of these changes and adjustments will be made, as necessary.
We plan other temporary changes to tackle the problem of traffic congestion on rue Depot. Shortly, access at weekends will be restricted solely to the residents and businesses of Depot who have their own parking. Citizens and businesses directly impacted by this change will be consulted to validate a possible extension of this restriction to include weekdays. This would also more freed-up space to pedestrians and enable the instillation of picnic-tables.
Lastly, I want to remind you that public health is a collective responsibility. We each have a role to play in maintaining our own health and that of our fellow citizens – especially our seniors and those whose health is vulnerable. Regardless of your personal beliefs regarding COVID-19 I ask each of you to continue to follow health directives, especially social distancing, and to respect the actions of the Town. I assure you that we will listen to all comments that contribute to the attractiveness and calm of our village core.
Michel Lafrance
Mayor of Sutton