Parking problems surrounding the baseball park at The Forks have several players striking out.

Merchants on Provencher Boulevard are upset fans are taking away customer parking on the street.

Goldeyes owner Sam Katz doesn't understand why people can't park at The Forks.

and management at The Forks need extra staff to keep baseball devotees from parking on their lots.

Fans who try to park there are being sent on their way, Katz said.

"I don't know what's going on. People who come to the game and want to park at The Forks are being turned away even if they pay for parking," he said.

"These are people who go to The Forks before and after the game. I can understand if The Forks was having a special event."

Katz is hoping a compromise can be worked out. He's willing to let The Forks use the CanWest Global parking spaces when there aren't games.

The problem is there is a huge demand for parking at The Forks and the lots need to be controlled, said Paul Jordan, site operations manager.

"We need to protect our parking for our events. Right now we have the children's festival so you couldn't park here if you wanted to," Jordan said.

During special events and typically busy times The Forks erects signs saying parking for the ballpark is not allowed.

"We'll try to co-operate with the ballpark when we can," Jordan said.

Provencher merchants are having employees park on their street before games, then moving their cars after the first pitch so customers have somewhere to park, said Dave Labelle, who owns a bridal boutique on the boulevard.

"It's really affecting business," Labelle said.

If parking becomes an issue with the merchants the city could limit parking on the boulevard, said Coun. Dan Vandal (St. Boniface), chairman of the citys protection and community services department.

"I would think everyone would be happy with more activity in the area," Vandal said.