Popular Penticton, B.C. market concerned new bike route will impact business | 24CA News
As Penticton, B.C.’s Lake-to-Lake bike route nears completion, the house owners of a business positioned alongside the ultimate part are involved with the affect that the venture may have on their store.
For the final 27 years, Dan and Tracy Fehr have welcomed lots of of consumers into their retailer, the South Main Market, every day.
“We get quite a few customers, and our usual customer count is about 400 to 500 a day. The city did put up a camera to do a count of the traffic flow [to our store], this was in October, and they came up with a traffic flow of 388,” stated Dan.
“I think they would have to be very creative for us to be able to keep our business viable. And have the customers be able to come and go and the delivery drivers come and go as we have been.”
South Main Market at present has eight parking areas and flat curbs in entrance of the shop in order that drivers have room to again in or out.
There can also be room for big vans, together with semi-trucks, to make deliveries to the shop or park throughout the road.
“[The bike lane] does not seem like it’ll be very useful for the delivery drivers for sure and with the customers, I believe that if there isn’t a spot open then they will just keep on driving to the next available store,” stated Dan.
Although the designs are usually not finalized, the Fehrs say the town has proposed a one-way parking zone with fewer than the present eight parking areas in entrance of the shop.
The road parking throughout the highway would even be eliminated to accommodate the brand new bike lane.
“The city has given us one drawing and so far it looks like it is going to be an entrance and five parking stalls and an exit so that the people will not be able to back in and turn,” stated Tracy.
“We are very busy, we need our parking lot, our parking lot is often eight spots full plus road parking is also used. We are obviously extremely concerned about the effect this will have on our business.”
Currently, the finished sections of the bike lane embrace obstacles and many signage which Tracy Fehr says would additional affect their business.
“Those physical barriers — we have a … semi-truck that comes right in through, into our parking lot and he will not have the turning radius. We’ve talked to him before, and he will not have the turning radius to get in,” Fehr stated.
“Also, a lot of our delivery trucks or larger ones they park across the street and there will not be any across-the-street parking. So, we’re not sure where our delivery trucks will be able to park there.”
According to Penticton’s normal supervisor of Infrastructure, Kristen Dixon, the town has not dedicated to the present designs, and discussions with the market are ongoing.
“We totally understand. It is a very successful, very fantastic business and it’s an amenity to the community in the area. We are working very closely with them,” stated Dixon.
“Everything is still just in the design process. So, we’re continuing to meet with them, we’re continuing to explore options. We know the loading and unloading is an issue, and we know the access to the parking areas is an issue.
“We’re trying to look at the entire area and find solutions that are going to work for everyone.”
Just over half of the Lake-to-Lake bike route has been accomplished. Work on the following part, which is able to deliver the path to Skaha Lake, is predicted to start later this yr.
“It’s been completed now all the way from Okanagan Lake to the intersection of Atkinson Street with Kinney Avenue, so that’s an exciting milestone for the project,” stated Dixon.
“With the proposed financial plan that will be coming forward to council soon for approval. That does include funding for it through 2023 and 2024 to finish that last section. We’ve also applied for a federal grant for that section.”
The metropolis is hoping to have the bike route totally accomplished by 2024.
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