The District of Sooke has signed a lease to provide off-road parking at the bottom of Maple Avenue for boat launch users.
The parking lot is about 100 metres east of the boat launch access road, and can accommodate 12 to 15 trucks and trailers.
The two-year lease was announced in a press release Thursday in which district officials said the move was made to alleviate safety and parking concerns on West Coast Road.
“We are thrilled to be in a position to address this public safety issue,” said Mayor Maja Tait in a statement.
The land is being leased from property owner Brian Butler for $1,500 per month.
Parking is free at the lot but there remains a $10 fee to launch boats.
District of Sooke chief administrative officer Teresa Sullivan said parking on West Coast Road will be prohibited in this area and users who park on West Coast Road near the public boat launch will be subject to towing.
Hours of operation are dawn to dusk with no overnight parking allowed. The parking area will be monitored by district staff.
In the meantime, the district has also signed a lease for another piece of property to alleviate parking congestion in the town centre area, off of Otter Point Road (behind the Petro-Canada station), and is in negotiations for a land swap on Murray Road.
“These are all continuing effort by the district to ease parking problems in the town centre,” Sullivan said.