Letter to the Editor: More parking debate

To the Editor:

When I came here in 1980 Gilchrist Avenue was a well-kept median. No one parked there.

As more people came to live in Boca Grande, so did more cars.

On the east side of Gilchrist you see an area next to the sidewalk for parking cars in front of homes. The way it should be and it looks nice.

On the west side of Gilchrist Avenue you see grass and trees planted next to the sidewalk where cars would normally park. This is encroaching on an area for parking. This space belongs to the county. It is part of the street that was meant for parking. Use it!

The median between Park Avenue and Gilchrist Avenue on 5th Street was once used for parking. Now it has trees, bushes and curbing. No parking. Do the same on Gilchrist or just use curbing!

Gilchrist is a two-lane street. One lane could be used for parking and you would still have a lane for the through traffic.

Sunday is the heaviest day for church parking and the lots at PJ’s Seagrille and Englewood Bank can be used. They are not open on Sundays. If we stop planting in the area that is available for parking it would help the problem.

Parking is limited when you live on an island, so let’s make the most of it.

Beverly Furtado
Boca Grande