As of Friday, July 29, 2022, street parking along West Chestermere Drive is no longer permitted. This stretch of roadway is a major thoroughfare for the community, and the west side is also home to an integrated stormwater drainage system.
Due to safety concerns surrounding increased traffic to Anniversary Beach and the potential damage to City stormwater infrastructure, the City has decided to temporarily ban street parking along West Chestermere Drive between Chestermere Boulevard and Merganser Drive West. The ban will be in place until further notice.
“We have heard residents’ concerns around the traffic issues on this stretch of roadway,” says Cameron Wong, Interim City Director. “Eliminating parking congestion will increase the safety of all road users, especially during peak times, such as this long weekend.”
Recognizing this may cause further congestion, the City and the Chestermere Regional Community Association (CRCA) have partnered to offer alternative parking options for beach users at the Chestermere Recreation Centre.
A portion of the Recreation Centre’s south field will be available for free parking for beachgoers this weekend, while most of the lot will still be reserved for Recreation Centre users. Although security will be on-site to direct traffic, the Rec Centre will not charge for beach parking.
“The Chestermere Recreation Centre has agreed to work with the City of Chestermere to provide adequate parking for beach users while maintaining ample parking for Recreation Centre customers,” says Jody Nouwen, General Manager of the Chestermere Rec Centre. “The CRCA recognizes the importance of offering efficient parking for facility users and thus will reserve priority parking spots for our customers.”
Although this is a temporary solution, the City of Chestermere is providing the CRCA with in-kind services (such as grounds maintenance) to allow beach users access to their parking lot.
“The City is looking forward to collaborating with the CRCA to find a more permanent suitable solution in the future,” says Wong.