Valley Stream lifts parking regulations for holiday season

Metered and overnight parking regulations in Valley Stream’s business district are no longer in effect, village officials announced last week.

The restriction prohibiting parking on village roads between 3:30 and 5:30 a.m. was suspended and parking meters on Rockaway Avenue, Central Avenue, Merrick Road and surrounding side streets will not be enforced until January 5. The suspension of both regulations began earlier this week, with the overnight rules being suspended on Dec. 16, while the free metered parking began on Dec. 15.

Mayor Ed Fare said the suspension of parking regulations is a tradition dating back to the 1960’s.

“The current parking restrictions exist to benefit the village and its residents, but they don’t do that during this time of year,” Fare said. “People are welcoming extra guests into their homes for the holidays and shoppers are moving in and out of stores quickly as they buy their gifts. We want to make this season as stress-free as possible.”

Debbi Gyulay, president of the Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce, said she believes the annual holiday reprieve is a welcome one.

“The Chamber really appreciates this gesture, and I think it’s a very popular one with members of the Chamber,” she said. “When the mayor affirmed at one of our meetings that they would once again be adopting the provision, it got a round of applause from our membership.”

Diane Randall, a Hewlett resident, said she visits Valley Stream’s downtown each year to do Christmas shopping. “It definitely makes me more likely to come out here and get my shopping done or get something to eat,” Randall said. “I usually wait until they turn the meters off before I come down here each year.”