The Town of Richmond Hill may take back lands it formally owns from residents who have been using them for over 30 years as a condo car park.

Residents of York Condominium Corporation 126 at 189 Springhead Gardens have been using and maintaining a small site bordering Baif Park as a parking space and excess snow storage area since 1979, when the corporation entered a 10-year lease on the land with the town.

The lease for the 220-square-metre lot officially expired 23 years ago, but it was not until recently that town staff realized the area is technically part of Baif. At the recommendation of town staff, the site may be reclaimed.

Lorri Bates, president of the condo’s board of directors, wrote in a letter to council on April 13 that, if the corporation had known the lease had expired, it would have renewed it. She also wrote the corporation paid approximately $70,000 to repave the lot last year.

She considers the lot integral to the community, not only because of the residents’ dependency on it for parking, but because the nearest available street parking is already being fully utilized by others.

“If we lose it, I really don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Bates. “We can’t be parking on the street, and I’m certain our neighbours wouldn’t want us parking in front of their houses.”

The matter was brought before council in a meeting May 28, where councillors struck down three motions for the corporation to buy or continue leasing the land.

“We know we’re not going to be able to purchase it, because council doesn’t want to set a precedent, and I totally understand that,” said Bates, “but what we would like to do is certainly have them reconsider a new lease.”

Coun. Godwin Chan and local and regional councillors Brenda Hogg and Vito Spatafora voted to keep the land under the town’s ownership. They could not be contacted by press time for details.

The issue will be considered yet again on Sept. 4, 2012.