Some churchgoers and cyclists in Halifax are poised for a parking battle after complaints about new bike lanes.

The new lanes are along Windsor Street and pass Saint Antonio's Church. Parking is already at a premium in that part of town, and the city has changed parking rules that will make it more difficult to park on the street for Sunday mass.

The confusion began when the city set up the bike lane, but didn't change the parking signs to keep cars from parking in those bike lanes.

Every Sunday morning, some people who attend Saint Antonio's Church park along Windsor Street, but that blocks the bike lanes.

Father Maximos Saikali, the archpriest at Saint Antonio's, said the problem will only get worse when the new church building opens along the same stretch of road later this year.

"Two hundred cars and there's no parking," he said. "You need the streets for parking, definitely."

Saikali said the congregation uses a lot of parking spaces. His family alone takes three cars to work and he says it's not uncommon for each family to take two cars to church each Sunday.

Cyclist Richard Driedger says if the city is going to have a bike lane, it can't suddenly become a church parking lot on Sundays. (CBC)

Before, when parishioners would park in the bike lanes, police couldn't ticket them because the signs all said, 'No parking Monday to Saturday.'

Those signs came down this week, but the church says it still needs those parking spots.

"There's bike lanes on both sides of the street," Saikali said. "They can leave one side for the bike and one side for parking on Sunday."

Cyclists say the intersection of Windsor and Cunard streets is already one of the most dangerous in the city.

Richard Driedger said he's in favour of the changes.

"We're in a city with a huge lack of bike lanes," he said. "As much as I feel for them needing a place to park, we need a place to ride without them getting run over."

Fellow cyclist Asher Goldstein agrees.

"I'm sorry for not being too sympathetic but it's like the only bike lane in the city," he said.

Driedger said if the city is going to have a bike lane, it can't suddenly become a church parking lot on Sundays.

The city is in talks with the church to try to find some extra space for their congregation.

Police say there's no more confusion. Anyone caught parking on the bike lane will have to ask the city for forgiveness not in the form of prayer, but a $60 ticket on the windshield.