I think the issue of whether parking is free or paid is not a factor for all the empty store fronts. It certainly is not because there are no shoppers in Owen Sound. Just look at all the full parking lots at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, and Value Village, along with those at the chain restaurants and chain fast food drive-thru's. The storefronts are empty because the city has for several decades now promoted retail and residential growth towards the outer limits of our city. They have welcomed these developments with open arms and surrounded them with four lane roadways, given them incentives, and allowed them acres of non-performing asphalt.

How else can you explain extending a road directly to Walmart to ease traffic conditions while ignoring severe traffic congestion in the downtown?

How else do you explain ignoring the failing infrastructure that is needed to support the most basic of downtown traffic movement?

How else do you explain the weed infested, litter filled downtown sidewalks that front building after building, housing Owen Sound's poorest of the poor. How many dollar stores and coffee shops does one city need?

The sad part is that many candidates for this year's municipal election are promoting new growth and the need for more tax revenue while pledging to follow the same old formula. I suspect the storefronts will remain empty until our city decides to build inward and truly invest in what we already have (or had).
When my wife and I travel in Canada, the USA, and abroad, we always go to vibrant places with exciting downtowns full of smiling happy people, busy restaurants with sidewalk patios, and interesting shops. We often rent our vacation home right in the middle of it.

And the people are not smiling and happy because it is Saturday market day, or sidewalk sale day. They are that way every day.