I too have questions about Bob Baldwin’s “10-sample Rockport Library Parking Survey” done in October. While one can come up with the "average 47 empty parking spaces" within a 60-second walk, crossing no more than one street, the bigger issue is are these spaces safe and usable by everyone. Also when exactly were the “busy times” the survey was conducted? Mr Baldwin only mentions the Wednesday after school program.

Let’s take a careful look at parking around the library leaving aside for the moment handicapped parking. There are three spaces on Russell Avenue in front of the library and three on Limerock beside the library for a total of six which can easily be reduced to four if large cars or poor parking skills are involved. No street crossing at all for these spaces. 

Four to six cars can park on Limerock Street next to Memorial Park and six-eight cars can park on Union Street next to Memorial Park. Factoring in car size and parking skills this is 10-14 cars with a need to cross one street (Limerock).

Anyone who parks on the harbor side of Central Street has two options for getting to the library: cross two sections of Russell Avenue (using the island as a resting place) or walking beyond the library to the cross walk on Russell and thereby using Mr. Baldwin’s magic one street. I have never counted the cars parked on that side of Central Street when it has been solid from Russell to Main, but let’s be generous and say thirty. So yes, we can account for about 47 parking spaces within a 60 second walk of the library, crossing only one street, though I think most people approaching the library from Central Street will cross Russell twice at the island rather than walk further to cross it once. Let us also be generous and note that people can park further up Union Street and even further up Limerock Street and still walk to the library in 60 seconds.

However let us take a closer look at these parking spaces. Limerock is too narrow to make parking above Memorial Park safe or feasible for either the parker, pedestrians, or traffic. Union Street is very busy and narrows as it approaches the post office making it dangerous to open a car door into traffic and near suicidal to try to extract a child from his/her car seat on the driver’s side. Union Street is also a hill at that point and anyone with a mobility issue, herding children, or carrying anything heavy or bulky would be hard pressed to find those parking places usable.

Central Street is an even steeper hill and parking there not only presents the hazards noted above for Union Street but can also present a serious risk for those with asthma, heart problems, or other medical issues. Not everyone who has health or mobility issues is eligible for a handicapped license plate or placard.

The distance one is willing to park from the library depends on the amount of time the visit will take. Someone simply dropping off or picking a book does not want to take more time walking than it takes to complete the task. And let us not forget snow, ice, and driving rain as factors for wanting or needing to park as near as possible to the library. The sidewalk next to Mary Lea Park can be downright dangerous when slick with snow and ice.

A nice, flat parking lot with plenty of space to safely get in and out of the car and a clear, safe way to walk to the library door(s) is what we need. A nice, flat parking lot would provide easy access for all persons no matter their physical abilities or limitations. And that brings us to the issue of Mr. Baldwin's reported lack of use of the current handicapped parking space. Perhaps the issue is not that folks don’t use it. Perhaps the issue is that those who most need it don’t come to the library because the interior is not easily accessible for them.

Helen Shaw lives in Rockport

Helen Shaw

Rockport