Goosefoot builds more parking at Bayview

BAYVIEW — The Goosefoot Community Fund will be adding new parking spaces across the street from the Bayview Cash Store on Bayview Road. Goosefoot officials said construction will be completed in time for the re-opening of the farmers market during the last weekend in April.

BAYVIEW — The Goosefoot Community Fund will be adding new parking spaces across the street from the Bayview Cash Store on Bayview Road.

Goosefoot officials said construction will be completed in time for the re-opening of the farmers market during the last weekend in April.

The added parking is a response to an increase in customers and visitors to Bayview Corner, said Debbie Torget, Goosefoot chief operating officer.

“It’s for day-to-day convenience. With the success of the café and some of the other shops, we wanted something that’s closer to the building,” Torget said.

Goosefoot has already three parking areas at Bayview Corner that serve the Cash Store, Bayview Hall and the historic Sear’s house.However, some customers and visitors felt that the parking lot behind Bayview Hall and next to the Sear’s House was too far from the Cash Store building.

The new parking spaces will be situated on a 1-acre parcel located north of Bayview School and perpendicular to the entrance to the Star Market. About 30 new parking spots will be created, Torget said.

Goosefoot purchased the land from Good Cheer in 2006, and the sale gave the non-profit organization the extra money it needed to close on the deal to buy the Masonic Temple building and property. Good Cheer will use the Masonic building for a food bank facility and donation-sorting location.

There will be minimal clearing and grading of the land, and a 40-foot margin of undisturbed vegetation around the perimeter of the new parking area will be preserved.

The new parking lot will not have lighting at night. Torget said the lighting at Bayview Corner parking lots will be reviewed by Goosefoot, as there is only limited lighting in one of the parking lots after dark.

Cash Store tenants have welcomed the easy access that overflow parking will provide, Torget said.