Business owners in downtown Antigo are encouraging the city to add more parking for their customers, as part of downtown revitalization.

Last night, community and city council members met at City Hall to voice their opinions on the subject.

In 2011, the state of Wisconsin will construct a Highway 64 bypass of downtown, giving the city an opportunity to revamp the district.

The Springbrook and Downtown Revitalization Committee recommended to re-design Fifth Avenue, by including more parallel parking, and a center median.

But last night, more options were discussed, including narrowing the road, widening the sidewalks, and adding angled parking.

Several downtown business owners spoke in favor of adding more parking spaces near their storefronts.

Like Mary Ann Kamps, whose clothing store, Avenue West, is directly across from the Palace Movie Theatre.

"For me, angled parking would be really nice because I don't get a lot of extra customers coming in the front door because when a show's going on, there's no place to park," Kamps said.

She believes more at-door parking would create more traffic downtown, but others think the city should leave it alone, and save the money.

The owner of Antigo Sportswear favors angled parking.

"All of our traffic comes in through the front door and if people can't park in front of the store, they usually go around the corner and they're gone," Bill Berg said.

City Administrator Dale Soumis is hoping once a place is put in place, grants will cover up to 80 percent of the 3.5 million dollar price tag.

Not everyone supports a new image for downtown.

"Probably 20 percent of the people that spoke said, 'Why spend money on this anyway,' some of them felt it's already too late to try to do something," Soumis said.

City officials are hoping new businesses will be attracted to more parking and a better asthetic.

Currently there are 13 empty storefronts.

"You're not going to get somebody to come into a vacant building if they don't have parking there and that's really the main issue that I have," said Gordon Neve, whose business Neve's Furniture and Flooring is downtown.

The City Council will vote on which type of parking plan they see fit at their regular meeting on September 9th.

The parking plan effects roughly seven blocks of Fifth Avenue, from Lincoln Street to Field Street.