Looking To Park, Would You See This Sign?

Humor a Gleason Road resident for a second.

Let's say you're either new to Reading or maybe from another town. You drive down Haven Street looking to spend some money. But when you get to the area around Rite-Aid, the parking spots are all filled. You get to the end of Haven, at the intersection with High Street. Now what?

If you're a Reading veteran you know what to do ... take a right on Chute and park out back or maybe circle around again for a second attempt. But if you're new to the area, here's hoping you guess right and take a right. At that point you'll see an orange and blue parking sign, one of two the town has installed as part of its wayfinding and branding project. But here's the problem. When you get to the end of Haven there's no sign telling you to take that right turn. The sign on Chute is nice, but almost useless without a first sign at the end of Haven.

And what about that other sign, a photo of which goes with this story. Do you see it (hint, it's peaking out from behind the tree on right).

The topic that occupied the most time at Wednesday's Downtown Economic Development Community Meeting was parking. Matt Smith, a Nelson Nygaard parking consultant, gave an impressive presentation on Reading's downtown challenges.

"If you have a parking problem you have success," said Smith, referring to an active downtown with customers needing parking.

Among the many suggestions Smith and his firm made was improved parking signage. Reading's Economic Development Liaison Jessie Wilson also made a presentation, which included those orange and blue signs as well as other branding efforts the town will soon implement. So far there are two parking signs, with the promise of more to come. With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, another sign at the end of Haven Street might be a good idea. Just one resident's thought.

You can see the entire presentation from Wednesday night at the library here.

Photo by Bob Holmes