Salem Willows Parking Plan
Starting sometime around May 28th The City of Salem will be renovating the large open parking area near the tennis courts. This work will include the closed off Hill area, the main parking area, and the tennis courts. The above areas will be closed off during this project, expected to be the entire summer.
The project will include new rainwater drainage system with ground water recharge under the tennis courts. A restoration of ”The Hill“ green space, redesigned parking spots and new tennis courts.
During many lengthy meetings with the City of Salem they have determined that the Salem Willows Yacht Club has No Legal Rights to the designated parking area we currently use.
Therefore, during the above-mentioned construction the Salem Willows Parking area will be open to the general public for everyone’s use on a first come, first use bases. There will be no parking fees and parking over night will still be permitted.
The Parking lot at the end of Fort Avenue opposite Winter Island Road will also be open for general parking use at no charge and overnight parking will be permitted.
Parking along “the line”, in front of the arcade and food establishments is short term metered parking and should not be used for members and guests of SWYC. Ticketing is enforced.
The parking area across from Dead Horse Beach will be open for use but will become metered parking with a four-hour limit. New this year, Winter Island parking passes will be accepted in that area. When the new parking area is open, parking meters will be installed and limited to four hours as it proposed right now.
Whether or not Salem Willows Yacht Club regains use of our lot next year is still not clear, as the City has a long-range plan to redesign the walking path along the sea wall to go right through the parking lot. This phase of work is not currently funded and remains to be seen if it will happen anytime soon.
Needless to say, this summer is going to be every chaotic for all guests at Salem Willows Park in regard to parking. A new designated drop off zone will be installed in front of the Clam Shack for loading and unloading of items to bring through the park. As part of the agreement with the City, SWYC will still be allowed to keep our carts chained to the fence at our current parking area only at the opposite end, closest to the Club.
SWYC and the City are still working together on other possible long term parking solutions including possible use of parking facilities at Cat Cove at the end of Fort Ave. Please see the attached plan here: Salem Willows Park Parking
