GREENFIELD PARK — Business should normally be booming for a lot of independent shop owners on Churchill Boulevard in Greenfield Park at this time of year. But that’s not the case for dozens of merchants lining the busy commercial road.
‘No stopping’ signs that have been installed on the north side of the street are keeping potential shoppers away, and businesses say they’re hurting.
“No parking places, I lose my customers and I’m going to close my restaurant,” Yunus Eroglu says.
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The owner of Alex Pizza says sales have slumped ever since Longueuil installed the parking ban three weeks ago.
The city removed the free parking and replaced it with a year-round bike lane and installed ‘no stopping’ signs stretching the length of the road.
“The merchants and the citizens are not happy about Churchill Boulevard right now,” says city councillor Robert Myles, “and the bicycle path and this is the merchant’s living.”
Myles — who represents the area — submitted a petition with 185 names demanding the ‘no stopping’ signs be removed and the free parking be returned. But, so far, city council has refused to make the changes.
Longueuil Mayor Caroline St-Hilaire wasn’t available to comment Friday.
Reserved bike lanes run along both sides of the street and the only parking available is on the north side which is often filled with cars. Shoppers can’t park on side streets either as those roads are reserved for permit holders only.
Councillor Myles promises to raise the issue with some of the merchants at upcoming borough and city council meetings in January.
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