EDITORIAL – New parking rate plan feels like a City Hall money grab

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

DOWNTOWN SHOPPERS have had it pretty good for a long time. Aside from City Hall’s insistence that there’s adequate parking in the core — which doesn’t prove out in real life — parking fees are reasonable.

They’ve been kept in check over the years largely for political reasons — City councils have feared the backlash from any significant increase. It’s inevitable, though, that rates have to go up.

The purpose of on-the-street parking fees is to stop people from hogging parking spots. They’re supposed to stop dawdlers and store/ office employees from staying too long. Theoretically, parking should be free until there are fewer stalls than there are people wanting to park, and parking is certainly crowded downtown. We also know that parking fees are a major source of income for the City.

The new rate schedule being considered by the council feels very much like a money grab. Upping the Victoria Street rate from $1.25 to $2 is a lot. Increasing expired-meter violations from $40 to $80? And moving the $10 rate for paying within 24 hours to $50?

And then there’s event parking, the proposal being to boost it to a $20 flat fee. Concerts and games are supposed to be enjoyable and affordable. Parking close to the venue should be no more than $10.

Hopes that by keeping parkade parking rates where they’re at, people will be incentivized to use them, well, that’s been a dream of City councils ever since the things were built. People just don’t like them. As an ArmchairMayor.ca columnist said several years ago, they’re “creepy.”

A previous idea of developing more small-lot surface parking would be a better answer but that doesn’t in the cards any longer.

The changes being proposed will probably drive people from the downtown and to the malls where parking is plentiful and free.

However, it may be time to seriously consider pay parking — at reasonable rates — along the Tranquille corridor but that’s only briefly mentioned in the staff report as a future thing.

But there is some good news. City Hall is finally getting serious about getting rid of those horrible downtown parking kiosks and replacing them with ones that work. They are an embarrassment and a source of endless frustration and should never have been chosen in the first place.

One reason for finally getting rid of them is that they can’t accommodate the new parking rates. The City, though, shouldn’t even think of waiting for the cash to roll in from the new rates before the new machines are chosen and installed.

Thankfully, proper consultation with the public on which kiosks to purchase is part of the plan. Convenient, efficient kiosks plus reasonable parking-rate increases would probably meet with acceptance. Usurious rate hikes, no matter how good the new machines, won’t.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.