LIVERMORE FALLS – Seventy-five residents have petitioned the town to support no parking zones on one side of Highland Avenue and so-called tree streets. The targeted area is near the schools.
Petitioners want no parking on the west side of Highland Avenue and the south side of Cedar, Oak, Maple, Chestnut, Walnut and Birch streets.
Selectmen have set a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 19, at the Town Office to discuss the matter, Town Manager Alan Gove said.
Safety is a concern of the residents, said Pamela Cook of Highland Avenue.
When there are athletic events at Griffin Field or at the schools, particularly the Middle School people park on both sides of the streets, she said.
Highland Avenue and Cedar Street pass very close to the Middle School.
Even when the buses are there, it makes it dangerous for the children walking, Cook said.
When events such as a football game are going on, it makes it difficult for vehicles to get by and for people walking.
It’s the teenagers who are walking then, she said.
The so-called tree streets are narrow and steep leading down to Route 133 or Park Street with houses on both sides.
SAD 36 Superintendent Terry Despres said he supports restricting parking to one side of the roads to make them safer.
The district has been working on putting in more parking areas for the past year.
So far they have about 78 new spots proposed, Despres said.
A new parking lot is going on the corner of Highland and Griffin avenues where the district bought an old house and had it removed. Parking is also intended for where the two double-wide portable classroom units used to be.
Another parking lot is slated at the end of Griffin Avenue closest to the baseball field. The district owns the house that sits there and that will be removed, Despres said.
Also in the future, Despres said, the district will be discussing parking on the side of the football field near the embankment.
It all takes dollars and cents, he said.
“We definitely need to do something,” Despres said.
The district is hoping, he said, the new parking lots will alleviate some of the parking issues the town is dealing with now.
“I do agree, parking on both sides of the roads is not good,” Despres said.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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