By Linda Stinnett

The announcement this week of the city’s intention to purchase a four-acre tract beside Rock River Rapids should be good news for residents of the neighborhood surrounding the property.

Those neighbors expressed their concern in recent years as the city listened to a proposal to build a hotel on the property. They were worried the increase in traffic would detrimentally impact their quality of life.

It’s a potential problem which still exists, but likely on a lesser scale than commercial development, depending on the final use of the land. With the property becoming city-owned and final decisions on that use some time away, the residents can still have a say on what occurs through contact with city council members. 

The concern at this time comes for the businesses near the water park. When events are occurring or summer weather brings large crowds, those businesses find their own parking areas fill with people who cannot find parking at Rock River Rapids.

If the acreage becomes little league practice fields in a year or two, it is highly likely the Rock River Rapids parking lot can be used by spectators and families who gather there. If events are scheduled carefully, it will be good use of a facility sitting unused and will be good for local taxpayers’ pocketbooks.

City staff and the planning commission always check to make sure local lots meet design criteria for adequate parking. The fact that minimum requirements don’t always provide enough space has best been shown over the past few years at the Rib Crib. 

On that restaurant’s busy days, parking spilled out onto Meadowlark and the Derby Marketplace, until the recent building by Panera Bread took some of that space. While it would seem that additional restaurants would spread out the customers, it has only appeared to increase their numbers.

The same parking problem is seen at other popular restaurants around town. 

Share the space when it is feasible, but efforts need to be made to help the businesses whose customers will drive to another place if they cannot find handy parking.