Article content Staff was also directed work the consultation of stakeholders in the area into their 2027 workplan after there was some discussion about further increasing the number of short-term parking spots along 1st Avenue West. Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library CEO and Chief Librarian Tim Nicholls Harrison appeared before council during the public forum portion of the meeting, where he called the city’s plan to incorporate two short-term parking spaces on 1st Avenue West “the start of the right idea.” He said the move by council only partially addresses the issue because the spaces “are always going to be filled.” Nicholls Harrison noted that parking along the street is limited to two hours, but that isn’t enforced and some motorists are parking there all day. Article content He asked that the city increase the two current accessible parking spots to four larger spaces, and designate the rest of the parking spots from the corner of 8th Street East to the bandstand as short-term parking with a 30-minute maximum time limit. He said the library was involved in the consultation process for the parking changes, and encouraged the city to make its recommended changes in order to have it implemented quickly, but asked for more to be done. “We know the number one issue for people using the library forever has been parking,” said Nicholls Harrison. “So you have come up with a solution that doesn’t help us in the big picture, when there is actually an opportunity where we can do a lot more together.” Coun. Marion Koepke moved an amendment to staff’s recommendation of two short-term spaces to make a longer stretch of short-term spaces to the bandstand and to review the accessible parking spaces, but that change was defeated after discussion by council. Concerns were raised that other stakeholders like the nearby St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, should be consulted before making such a change. The short-term parking spaces will be identified by signs and be implemented for the July/August summer season, according to a staff report. The spaces will be enforced by the city’s parking enforcement contractor as part of scheduled patrols during the downtown hours of enforcement, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the report said.