BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Shoppers visiting Main Street in Brookville during the holidays can expect a major change starting in 2026: the end of free parking.
According to Brookville Borough Manager Dana Rooney, bags will no longer be placed over the parking meters during the holiday season, a decision driven by feedback from the business community.
“The decision was just made for future years; the free parking will no longer be available. Starting in 2026, council is not going to approve the free parking for December,” Rooney told ExploreJefferson.com.
When asked why the council decided to make this change, Rooney explained that some businesses had expressed frustration with the current system.
“Several local shops and small business owners have reached out to the borough and its council members,” answered Rooney. “They are very unhappy with the free parking. They feel that it is being highly abused by employees of different businesses. A lot of times, they are having issues with their customers not being able to find a spot to park in.”
Rooney emphasized that the move was “100% based on feedback from local business owners.” She noted that while the initial goal of free parking was to encourage commerce, the results have been counterproductive.
“The theory behind offering free parking was to try and increase shopping on Main Street in the small businesses, and the exact opposite is happening when we offer it, because customers are unable to find a parking spot,” Rooney explained.
The change will affect more than just Main Street.
“Main Street is the primary one affected, but the few side streets that have parking meters are not enforced during the month of December. So, any metered parking on Main Street is truly free, and even off of Main Street, it’s currently free in the month of December. Moving forward, that just won’t be the case,” she said.
For travelers, the removal of the Civic Club’s welcome bags from the meters will serve as the primary signal that paid parking has resumed.
When asked for their thoughts on eliminating free parking during the busiest shopping season of the year, reaction among business owners—who chose to remain anonymous—was mixed. While those who contacted the borough supported the change, many others were skeptical or disappointed.
One business owner told ExploreJeffersonPA.com they didn’t understand the decision, as they had never witnessed issues with employees occupying prime spots.
“I have never really noticed the employee abuse of free parking where I’m at on Main Street,” said the owner. “It’s something to me that doesn’t make much sense. The holidays bring a ton of people to Main Street here, and to take their free parking away may drive away some business for businesses.”
Another merchant criticized the move, arguing it hurts the town’s holiday spirit.
“I don’t like it. The holiday season is all about giving, and Brookville has always been good at giving shoppers another reason to come to our shops. I just don’t think it is a great idea to be taking that part away from the experience,” they said.
As another business owner noted, there is more to the holiday season on Main Street than just parking.
“I’m not a fan of the decision. I have all of my employees park out back,” the owner stated, adding that the Civic Club bags intended to cover the meters would now go to waste. “The only time anyone that works here really parks out front is if there is some sort of special delivery or something. Other than that, I have them park out back no matter what.”
Others felt the situation could have been managed without a total ban.
“I think things could have been handled slightly differently. I believe a little bit of communication could have gone a long way in figuring out an alternate solution,” said one shop owner. “The hope is that there won’t be any additional issues caused by the decision.”
However, not everyone was entirely opposed. One business owner admitted they understood the frustration regarding employee parking, even if they weren’t fully on board with the solution.
“I can see why some businesses would be upset, especially the smaller storefronts. There certainly are people who would rather not shop than park far away in the cold due to another business’s employees taking parking spots,” they explained. “It’s a shame it had to come to this because I think the free parking is great for our customers. But they have to keep the businesses happy just like businesses have to keep the customers happy.”
While the decision will impact the future, customers are reminded that free parking remains in effect for this year. Shoppers are encouraged to visit Main Street and explore the many storefronts Brookville has to offer before the changes take effect in 2026.
