Parking and the Shing

Well, it's come up at the BOS and among many in town since reopening: the residents of Walsh Ave are upset about the new Yong Shing location and the problems with overflow parking there.

Having attended the opening karaoke night I can attest it was a zoo! They had the mini-searchlights going and there were cars all over Walsh Ave. Luckily I have a friend on the street (and some others not far from there) so I could find a spot and walk.

The thing that I hope is that the BOS doesn't overreact to this. I think the first knee jerk reaction of some to clamp down, start writing tickets and generally chase people away and such is a shame. The place is popular, obviously the owner has run a successful business for years in town and we should try and work something out.

Given the planning board's desires for a more pedestrian-friendly area down there and the existence of all the parking in the area I think something can be worked out. One example is the post office, which would be closed in the nighttime when the parking is an issue. Another - look at the situation with football games, when many park in the Bed Bath and Beyond/Shaws lot to attend a school function, so why couldn't school lots be used for overflow for a business? I know some will argue liability - I'd like to know the concrete dollar difference between using the lot and not. Is this covered by insurance or is it an exclusion? How much would that cost and could that be compensated or even make it an income stream for the school facility. Think out of the box as some would say - in these times we have to be creative!

Also the mall - many places in Worcester use valet parking at night, it seems to me the mall's Auburn St lot which is used by carnivals in the summer would be viable.

One thing is clear - I think paving more permanent spaces for this temporary issue is a mistake. We have the spaces, they just need to be reallocated. Planning has recognized that Rt 12, with all its empty paved lots as a side effect of our onerous parking zoning restrictions, looks generally unattractive. Modern walkable designs and concepts take this into consideration and allow for more orderly, planned, walkable areas which along with transportation plans (shuttles or public transit) save energy and engender a sense of place and community that attracts people and their cash in. The Veterans corridor effort will allay some of that.

The other side of all of these proposals is to make the area really pedestrian friendly with paved sidewalks and snow removal as needed. Then a truly functioning village district concept would be closer to reality.

And hopefully in all of this, schools, business and residents can work something out instead of rule by argument and who can shout down the loudest which has been the typical old reaction of some. I think people can have a voice in this, so long as there's a willingness to work things out, we don't have to get to that level; the town will be the better for it.