The Hastings City Council Monday unanimously approved parking on a piece of city property west of the RV discharge station for overflow parking for U-Rent-Em-Canoe Livery in the summer.

Julie Hawthorne-Fox, whose father founded the business 50 years ago, thanked city staff, namely former Community Development Director John Hart, current Director Alan Klein, and City Manager Jeff Mansfield for their help in building the business up to its present level.

Business at the U-Rent-Em-Canoe Livery, at 805 West Apple Street in the city, has “exploded,” bringing up to 1,000 people to the business on Saturday afternoons in the summer season, she said. The challenge facing the “bursting at the seams” business is not enough parking, with every parking space in the area filled with more customers looking for a spot.

Hawthorne asked the council to okay the parking area for the next year or two, to give and her husband Jim time to find a solution to the problem. The company has fielded offers from other places to move their business there, but born in Hastings, she prefers to stay in her hometown, she said. Several council members congratulated her on the booming business and said they would help any way they could.

Councilwoman Brenda McNabb Stange said since the area is dirt, more cars parking there would leave a muddy mess. However, Hawthorne pointed out that there was not space for very many cars there and the use would only be on weekends for three months of the year. They can get more business, she said, but they need short-term parking help, “a one or two year Band-aid.”

The couple will provide insurance coverage according to city policy and keep the area clean.