Release date: Monday May 10, 2009

Your Downtown Simcoe Business Improvement Area (BIA) is pleased to announce the hiring of a Parking Commissionaire to do parking enforcement exclusively within the boundaries of the Downtown Simcoe BIA. This position was developed after extensive research and discussion by the BIA’s Board of Management over the course of the last few years. The Board (comprised of volunteers representing Downtown Simcoe businesses) is conscientious of the challenges facing our downtown and believes accessibility to consistent convenient parking to visit our shops and services is vital to our economic viability and hopes this new staff person will effectively address the parking enforcement issues we have in our core and in turn best serve our customers, public and downtown employees.

The Downtown Simcoe BIA Parking Commissionaire project is a 2 year pilot contract paid for by the BIA. And as always all activities of the BIA are funded solely by a levy produced budget paid for by the BIA businesses of Downtown Simcoe. For a map of the BIA boundaries please visit www.downtownsimcoe.com and look in the ‘About Us’ section

There will be a 2 week educational campaign to start the program; during which only educational/warning tickets will be distributed, no fines will be issued. Your BIA Board of Management has implemented this grace period to ensure that all customers, visitors, employees and service personnel in our core are aware that the Downtown Simcoe Parking Enforcement program is becoming active, in hopes that while they continue to visit and work in our neighbourhood, they park accordingly for the consideration of everyone; any/all parking limits are signed accordingly.

Our Downtown Simcoe BIA Parking Commissionaire is Ted Little. He is a Norfolk County resident.  Ted will begin on the street, today, in uniform, familiarizing himself with the neighbourhood; our designated parking areas and spaces and meeting downtown merchants.  He is formally trained by GL Commissionaires, London, ON but is under the sole direction of the Downtown Simcoe BIA Board of Management and the Downtown Simcoe BIA Parking Commissionaire Steering Committee, should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact a steering committee member; Les Westbrook (BIA Board member) - 519-426-0200, Peter Black (BIA Board Vice-Chair) 519-426-5036 or myself at the contact information below.

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Deb Murphy, Executive Director, Downtown Simcoe Business Improvement Area (BIA)

50 Peel Street, Simcoe, ON   N3Y 1S2 Ph. (519) 426-5150   F. (519) 429-0284