Is parking downtown a problem?
By KATHRYN MARTINEZ news1@kilgorenewsherald.com

Fallon Burns, Main Street manager and John White, city GIS specialist, positioned an overlay of Wal-Mart and its parking lots over the Main Street district, making a comparative illustration of the walking distances of the two shopping hubs.

Main Street is full of local businesses in buildings built in the early 1900s, although residents often complain that the downtown area does not have enough parking.

But how big a deal is the parking issue for downtown Kilgore?

"Not so much," according to Fallon Burns, Main Street manager. "The biggest complaint I get about our downtown is that there is no parking."

In order to attempt to change public opinion on the subject burns decided to make a comparison most of the general public can identify with.

"The distance that the average person walks from their car, to the front doors at WalMart is about half a block," Burns said. "By the time that same person has reached aisle four, they have made what is equivalent to an entire downtown block."

Burns and John White, city GIS (geographic information systems) coordinator, worked together to map this fact.

"Looking at the map, how far do you think that person walks from the front

door to the pharmacy, picks up some milk and back to their car?" burns asked. "So the real question is 'Why are we willing to walk several blocks inside of a store, but not willing to walk one block downtown?'"

According to burns a barrier that clouds a persons vision in respect to distance.

"We are accustomed to parking directly in front of where we would like to shop, no matter how far away we may be, it still feels convenient," Burns said. "Downtown there may be two - three at most - parking spaces directly in front of a business, so when we drive by and see no available space in front of that particular business we think no parking."

Since the city is not going to be able to produce more land, Burns is encouraging residents to walk and enjoy shopping along sidewalks lined with storefronts.

"Try looking down the block or around the corner, there is more parking than you think," Burns said. "I have found several places that never fail me."

Among the best places to park are Commerce Street and South Kilgore Street and along North Street.

As council looks toward new sidewalks, decorative lighting and benches downtown, so that it will be more pedestrian friendly and encourage walking, Burns said she challenges residents to take the time and experience what downtown is all about and leave front-row spaces available for the people who need them.