Penticton council puts pause on paid downtown street parking

Photo: Casey Richardson

Paid street parking downtown is now suspended until the end of March after a lengthy debate by Penticton city council on Tuesday evening.

Coun. Ryan Graham made the motion after a downtown business owner shared his frustration on social media last week, which became a widespread conversation for the community.

“Why I brought this forward is a magnitude of reasons. Economic viability to our downtown businesses with the current cost of goods, inflation, lack of staff, [and] the continual crime in the downtown. I strongly believe this is a three-month reprieve is an incredible tool that we can give our downtown business community to survive during these difficult times,” Graham said Tuesday.

City council voted in September 2020 to expand the metered streets to include Front Street, Ellis Street, Main Street, Nanaimo Avenue and Padmore Avenue, as other downtown streets were already charging hourly rates.

Hourly rates for existing parking meters also changed in early 2021, from $1.25 to $2, which was expected to bring in a further $208,000.

The project included 135 meter heads, 12 new pay machines, signage and line painting, which amended the total 2020 budget by $175,000.

On Tuesday, Coun. Isaac Gilbert asked city staff what the estimated loss of revenue for this pause would be, which would be around $200,000.

City staff added that revenue from the street parking goes directly to offset the cost of the bylaw department and the staff that are involved in that area. It is not enough revenue to offset the entire cost of bylaw, which is offset through taxation.

Coun. Amelia Boultbee added her support for the motion but said she didn’t want to over-promise to the public that paid street parking would be permanently removed from the downtown area.

“We really have to take a look at our budget process and some upcoming costs that we have to consider. But I do think that it's the right time of year to take another look and see if there's a way to make it more accessible [and] give small businesses a reprieve,” she said.

One of the notable major changes is that all downtown street parking will now become free two-hour street parking, removing the charges off of streets that have been charging well before council voted in the new program back in 2020.

In council discussion, points were made about how the city has added specific free pick-up parking spots throughout the downtown area to help delivery drivers and shoppers pop into stores for a quick trip, and how metered parking can help turnover on the streets.

"I do believe that probably a lot of thought went into this by the previous council and research and the staff. That's not to say that things need to stay the same always," Coun. James Miller said.

“As someone who has been a big paid parking advocate for the City of Penticton, I do believe it does create other modes of transportation, biking and buses and I would like to see the future that the city continues to do that through this. The reason why I say I am going to support this motion as well is that I understand that we are into a point of a lot of inflation and we are in a downturn in our economy,” Gilbert said.

Mayor Julius Bloomfield and Graham said this pause in paid parking presents the opportunity to review the concept of paid parking in general.

“I also can say that nothing is perfect when it started. We have the ability to review the parking situation in downtown and other parts of the city. And I think we should take this opportunity to have that review and to form some further best practices out of that review and so having said that,I support this motion,” Bloomfield said.