Paid Parking Making A Return in Galena

Paid parking in downtown Galena has returned. The Galena City Council has voted in favor of charging for parking at city-owned lots in downtown Galena. Paid parking was suspended in April as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which drove down the number of tourists visiting the city. The city owns three lots downtown — one on Main Street next to Galena Cellars Winery, another on Commerce Street between Green and Washington streets, and the Galena City Hall lot, which is available to the public on the weekends. One council member proposed the reinstatement of paid parking, arguing that tourists have already returned to Galena and that requiring paid parking likely won’t deter them from coming.