Penticton City Council on Tuesday (June 24) will vote on whether to close vehicle access to a downtown liquor store parking lot for safety reasons or keep things the way they are next to the business, located along the lake-to-lake bike lane.
City staff have proposed permanently closing the driveway at 342/350 Martin Street, which provides access to Gables Liquor Store. A cyclist was hit by a driver exiting the property in February 2025.
In its proposal, the city is also recommending driveway removals at 296 Martin Street (parking at CIBC bank on Main Street) and 195 Calgary Avenue (dental office with access from Fairview Road).
All three driveways are situated along Penticton's bike lane.
Raj Singh of Gables Liquor Store took to social media to voice his displeasure with the plan, saying the closure of the driveway would impact his business "immensely."
In a series of online posts, the local businessman also claimed he was on the wrong end of a proposal that's only come up because of the bike lane's construction.
City staff acknowledged Singh's concerns but argued the driveway should still be closed.
"Given the alternate lane access available, combined with the on-street parking availability, staff are recommending the access be closed," a report to city council reads. "It is also worth noting that should the driveway be closed, additional parking could be provided on the site."
According to the report, the property owner of Fairview Dental Centre (195 Calgary Ave.) also opposed the plan in a letter submitted to the city "but did not provide
any specific reasoning or rationale for the opposition."
The third driveway proposed for removal is located behind CIBC at 296 Martin St. It provides angled parking to the bank.
City staff said the parking lot could be re-configured "at a very low cost, which would both increase safety and result in potentially two additional parking spaces."
The proposed changes come as city officials work to modify the design of the lake-to-lake bike lane on Martin Street.
In April 2023, council asked staff to report back with options on how to improve the bike lane's downtown design, in response to community feedback it received since the project's completion.
Some signage has been removed and other downtown driveways along the bike lane have since been closed, as a result.
The Penticton and Area Cycling Association has also called for additional driveway removals, where alternate access is available.
"Staff will continue to review driveways along the corridor to both eliminate sign clutter and improve overall road safety and anticipate that further opportunities will be identified," a report to council reads. "Where possible, staff work with property owners to determine mutually agreeable modifications."
City council's upcoming meeting on Tuesday kicks off at 1 p.m.
