Residents of Coldwater’s historic downtown buildings have secured a major victory in their fight against Severn Township’s overnight parking enforcement, following a township council meeting held earlier this week
At the heart of the issue is a bylaw prohibiting overnight parking from midnight to 7 a.m. in municipal lots, which Severn Township began strictly enforcing in January. Coldwater residents who had relied on these lots for decades were suddenly receiving multiple parking fines, with no clear alternative provided.
On Wednesday, Council approved a motion put forward by Ward 4 Coun. Wanda Minnings to dismiss and refund all 33 parking tickets issued for the Fire Hall Lane lot and 11 Michael Anne Drive lot since January.
The decision comes after weeks of advocacy led by Coldwater business owner Stephanie Kennedy, who argued the bylaw unfairly targeted vulnerable residents with no alternative parking options.
“This is the biggest win these people could have possibly gotten,” Kennedy said. “It’s such a wonderful thing that Minnings did. She took the time to fully understand the issue and stood up for the people.”
Kennedy, who owns Copperpot Nuts in Coldwater, has been the leading voice for residents impacted by the bylaw, many of whom are seniors, mobility-challenged individuals, and low-income tenants living in buildings without designated parking.
She organized a public meeting, collected petition signatures, and secured support from local landlords and former township politician Garfield Dunlop.
One of Kennedy’s tenants, an elderly man with a wheelchair permit, received five tickets before the community rallied behind the cause. The lack of communication from the township, coupled with the aggressive ticketing, sparked outrage among residents, she told OrilliaMatters.
During the council meeting, Minnings acknowledged she had been unaware of the issue before receiving correspondence from Kennedy and affected residents.
“If it wasn’t for the letters submitted, she would have never known this was happening or understood the need and how these people were being treated,” Kennedy said.
Minnings’ motion not only cancelled the existing tickets but also put a pause on overnight parking enforcement while the township evaluates long-term solutions.
Severn Township has now directed staff to prepare a report on potential options for managing overnight parking. Kennedy believes the two primary solutions being considered are implementing a resident permit system or adding the affected lots to permanently allow overnight parking.
Township officials stated they are working toward a “consistent approach that treats all residents of Severn fairly.”
Kennedy vowed to continue advocating for tenants to ensure any new system remains fair and affordable.
“The majority of these tenants are on fixed incomes and cannot afford high fees,” she said. “It’s a very small group of people who need this parking, and we need to make sure whatever solution is put in place works for them.”