Loading zone overload under review

The City of Winnipeg is considering unloading some of the numerous loading zones taking up valuable parking spaces in downtown and the Exchange District.

The city'sparking authority is counting the number of zones in those areaswith an eye to possibly eliminating a number of them.

That's music to the ears of Ray England who runs Toad Hall Toys on Arthur Street in the Exchange. By his count, there arebetween 100and 120 excess loading zones in the area, many of whichwere set up at a time when the Exchange was home to factories and warehouses.

Those days are long gone and he wants the zones converted to public parking.

"Tying up things with loading zones to be used for a few minutes a day, if at all during a day, is to me, really a sacrilege when we have a shortage of parking," England said, pointing to one zone large enough to accommodate three or four cars.

But for most of the day, six days a week, that's forbidden and the space sits empty.

"This loading zone has been here for over 20 years, and never used.We gotta tie up a space all day long and itjust is absolutely ludicrous," he said.

A date has not been set for when the loading zone review must be complete.