NewCanaanite.com recently received the following letter to the editor. Email editor@newcanaanite.com to have a letter published here.
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I am writing about the new barriers put in place for the restaurants.
As a shop owner in town these new barriers directly impact our business.
By my calculations this eliminates about 12-13 parking places on Elm St, including handicap parking.
We’ve already lost a significant amount of parking in recent years. I don’t know the exact number but it’s quite a lot.
I’m sure just about everyone who shops or eats in town agrees that parking is a major issue. Not a single day passes that someone doesn’t complain to me about the difficulties of finding a parking space.
Yes, there is parking behind Elm but the hassles of using the meters and the inconvenience of navigating the stairs and distance prevents most people from parking there. They would prefer to just forgo their shopping and head home.
Add into the mix that many employees of stores and businesses take up space on Elm and it increases a big problem.
All of the restaurants on Elm already have outdoor seating as well as ample space indoors. The extra seating is for overflow and how much of that is needed? A few extra tables certainly does not bring in enough revenue to make up for the loss of parking for everyone else.
The entire retail sector of town is being hurt by these barriers. We are losing revenue in exchange for a handful of restaurants getting a few extra tables.
Additionally, what is the rush?
April 1st?
The restaurants don’t even have their own outdoor seating set up yet. The weather is not nice enough on a regular bases to warrant the loss of parking.
Virtually all of the retail sector is being ignored and there is no thought or balance to these barriers.
Thank you
Brad Reh
Brad & Vandy Reh Fine Jewelry
I find that, with my vehicle, I cannot easily park so I have to choose walking shoes and park a long way from Elm to do my business. I am a customer of the Rehs’ as well as many other businesses that do not have their own lots. I am able to make the long walk. Many other people cannot. The rainy weather we have just experienced would prevent outdoor dining and the distance from parking would prevent most people from doing business in town. May 1st is a more reasonable time bring back the barricades.
Thank you Brad for bringing these issues to light. Like you, I have countless customers say to me that they would come in more often, but they simply cannot find parking on Elm Street. While I am hopeful about the plans to add more spaces back in, we are still operating at a big deficit over a few short years ago, making this designated “outdoor dining season” more impactful to shop owners than perhaps it should be. April, May, June, September & October are big retail months; this hurts, and while I’m sure we can reach a compromise, it feels like merchants do not have a seat at the table for this discussion.
I agree with Brad. As a new business owner on Elm St, I have witnessed the urgency of finding convenient parking nearby on a daily basis. In addition to the barriers creating a barrier for parking, the utility and construction trucks parked in the back lock behind Elm take up a disproportionate number of a spots as well. Let’s help local shop owners!
While outdoor dining has been a wonderful addition to our town, we can’t lose sight of the fact that it has had a negative impact on our local merchants. If empty storefronts are any evidence, we need to be doing more to boost not only restaurants but also the concerns of our local businesses. With the opening of the PlayHouse imminent, parking and accessibility will be an ongoing issue which needs addressing now. I think Brad Reh raises an important point which needs consideration. Thank you.
Outdoor seating is lovely on nice days, but we have so few parking spots in town coupled with the congestion on Elm, it isn’t worth it. I will often walk to town but even then, just walking up Elm with all of the outdoor tables is very difficult. You have to walk single file and play “Frogger” with the wait staff! It is often easier to walk on Elm itself vs the sidewalk!