Qualicum Beach plans to use $700,000 from the province to create dedicated overnight parking spaces on the waterfront and install pedestrian crossings.
The money comes from the B.C. Tourism Dependent Community Fund to help the town improve its waterfront.
“The Qualicum Beach waterfront is integral to the identity of the town and vital to the health of the local community, environment and economy,” said Mayor Brian Wiese.
Proposed work also includes 100–150 new parking stalls along the central waterfront by filling an area of roadside ditch, then laying gravel and guidelines along the south side of Highway 19A, according to a new release from the town.
Overnight parking is currently prohibited, but the town proposed installing meters to regulate use between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
“Parking meters will allow the town to manage overnight parking and limit it to designated areas. Payment and enforcement is to be monitored by a third party,” reads the release.
Dedicated overnight parking stalls for RVs are also proposed at the central waterfront. The six to eight spaces would be equipped with water and power hookups.
The town also proposed servicing kiosks, equipped with water and power hookups for mobile vendors. These spaces will be furnished with covered seating areas to accommodate all-weather use, according to the town.
“This is a key project for the town, which will further utilize our prized waterfront and stimulate tourism in peak and shoulder seasons, in times of healthy community gatherings and in times of current COVID-19 social distancing,” Wiese said.
Preliminary construction is set to commence in late summer this year and be completed by early 2023.
