The City Council in the City of Tonawanda is discussing possibly charging a fee for parking at city parks.
Councilman Charles Gilbert of Ward 1 said he received a random e-mail with this suggestion. He brought it before the council body for discussion. This is one way he thinks the city could maintain cleanup at parks like Niawanda and Veterans without raising taxes.
Gilbert claimed the majority of people who visit the city parks are from neighboring places like Niagara Falls, Lewiston, and even Rochester. The councilman claims the city is able to track down where the people at the park are from based on traffic tickets handed out.
“If people maintain and use the garbage can regularly this probably would never came up,” Gilbert said.
If the city decides to go in the direction of charges for parking at the parks, the city would use a mobile app. Gilbert says a lot of this is in preliminary discussions but prices could possibly be as low as 50 cents.
“It’s my duty to city taxpayers to give every option to sustain the parks without increasing taxes to taxpayers in the City go Tonawanda when people from outside the city uses the park,” Gilbert said.
Before the city makes a decision on parking fees, the council will hold public meetings so residents can give feedback.
