Downtown Parking Enforcement Likely Headed to Public Tender
Prince George, B.C. – While the City of Prince George’s Finance and Audit committee is still looking at what to do about downtown parking, it is likely that if the City opts to get out of the business of chalking tires and writing tickets, the opportunity would be put to public tender.
Councillor Cameron Stolz brought the item forward from a letter that had been submitted by the Downtown Business Improvement Association. The DBIA was calling on the City to enter into an agreement with the DBIA that would allow the DBIA to take over the downtown parking enforcement and collections.
Stolz says the next big discussion on the downtown parking issues will take place when Council will be asked if it is interested in contracting out that service “I suspect that will be a discussion of our Core Review, Committee of the Whole meeting team, so if Council chooses then to pursue contracting out of parking I think we’re looking at a process by where we’re going to public tender so at that point it would not be going out as a direct award.”
Council decided last March to bring pay parking back to the downtown after it was learned the City had gone from an $80 thousand dollar net revenue to an $80 thousand net loss since the meters were removed in early 2009.
The Finance and Audit Committee was to work with City staff to develop a report that would outline the costs and possible options available to bring back a pay system.
Comments
Ring the death bell for downtown merchants… Put the meters back in. :-)
Well after reading how ICBC has been offering-up driver’s plate numbers to Diamond Parking Ltd, so they could issue false parking violation tickets, I hope the city thinks through their choice.
When they took the meters out, they probably scrapped them, or sold them off for someone else to use. Nobody ever accused any city council of being smart, only of over spending the budgets all the time. And giving themselves big pay raises after every election!
I don’t think there are any parking meters in north vancouver —- am I right — how do they do it?
A contractor, eh? Wow! Money for the city and a profit for the owners of the contract. Can you say ruthless and unforgiving when it comes time to make money? This episode too will be forgotten and will not matter when these city council individuals run again in our next election. Call it “November amnesia”.
Leave the parking the way it is. If you want to save $80,000.00 get rid of your Communications Manager, and maybe throw in IPG and pick up an additional $1.5 Million.
The City will try and impress us with the Core Review by going after the small stuff like parking, while diverting our attention from the big stuff, like the Northern Sports Centre. Why is the NSC not on the Core Review agenda. This facility costs us $300,000.00 per year the same as other recreationl facilities, and there is not a hope in hell that it will ever make a dime. My understanding is that we are on the hook for $300,000.00 more or less for the next 25 years. This is absolute BS.
UNBC should be gifted this building, and they should run it. If they need additional funding it should come from the Provincial Government, who put up the money to build it in the first place. It is not the responsibility of PG Taxpayers to fund this facility.
This is just one of many things not on the table, like IPG.
Also skulking in the tree’s waiting for the Winter Games to end, is the Performing Arts Centre, with a tag of some $70 Million. The Cities portion would be in the area of $10/15 Million in cash and kind.
The Mayor says the Performing Arts Centre is not on the Core Review because it is not a capital project at this time, and until it is, (if it ever is) it will be looked at then. However we all know that it is in fact a Capital Project that has the blessing of City Hall, in fact they gave the PG Performing Arts Society $100,000.00 a while ago to further the project, and I suspect that the City has already purchased the property for this project that is not a project.
While you are leaning over picking up the small potatoes, the City will run over you like an avalance with the big ticket items.
We need to stay on top of this Core Review to ensure that we get a balanced reduction in costs through out the City organization.
This is just wonderfull. The DBIA is supposed to pramote the downtown and here they are wanting to make a profit off those that shop in the area. Who’s side are they on.
Cheers
This is just wonderfull. The DBIA is supposed to pramote the downtown and here they are wanting to make a profit off those that shop in the area. Who’s side are they on.
Cheers
I really feel sorry for the down town business owners. Penalize the very people who come and spend money in your store doesn’t seem very bright. I can go to Walmart, Pine Centre and do all my shopping and not worry whether the meter is run out.
People are finished with down town. There’s really nothing down there that’s an attractive place to go, throw in the meters and that’s the excuse not to go. Walking from shop to shop in cool weather is a, NOT gonna happen moment.You need to turn down town into just office jerks (pardon the pun) and just tax the hell out of the business.
Sorry about the double post. My computer is like my wife sometimes it just wont lksten.
Cheers
Retired02 – No wonder your wife does not listen to you if you handle her the same way you handle the keyboard..LOL ;)
If I was the DBIA, I’d be scared stiff of what the meters would mean to my business. If I was a retailer, I’d be thrilled if there was some way to validate the parking for my customers.
I think the DBIA just wants to have some input in how the parking will work. I don’t think their intent is to make money for the DBIA.
Right now, council won’t even talk with the downtown businesses regarding the parking. It’s pretty bad actually. Why won’t council talk with the local businesses? Surely if they talk they can find some way that will work for the City and not kill the downtown merchants…
Agreed Palopu and we almost added a dyke and whole ‘nother sheet of ice to the mix. Tripping over dollars to pick up nickels as the saying goes.
Paid parking downtown is a really, really, really crappy idea for many reasons that have already been mentioned.
I’ll give you one thing for the PAC people, from what I see, they are at least working together and looking to source their own funding and I will reserve judgement till I see what they come up with.
I think if you ask many of the business owners downtown, you’ll find they are in favour of strict enforcment and even pay parking. One huge complaint they have is employees from other businesses and office workers from the larger buildings are taking up parking in front of their stores that would otherwise be open for customers. Most of these office workers hae made other arrangements and pay for parkade spaces. However many just park on the street and take their chances with a ticket. Any business owner will tell us that available parking is key, even if there is a small fee attached. Potential shoppers for most of these stores generally dont stay long so the time enforcement is generally not an issue with them.
I remember the city saying when the meters were pulled out, it was due to the fact that the meters themselves were becoming obsolete and were becoming harder and more expensive to fix. This, coupled with the fact that more and more of them were being destroyed by thieves looking for change, lead to the decision to get rid of them.
Get hydro to install modified smart meters, oh wait!
VestInterest,
I agree with you. Enforcement is key. Nothing is being enforced right now. If you don’t pay your fine–that’s okay and by the way have a nice day.
I say if you’ve got an outstanding ticket that’s more than two weeks old, they should be towed. Update the bylaw to reflect that.
Also, the 2 hour limit per block is pretty bad too. Just move across the street and you’re on another block. The current bylaw basically says that it’s okay for office workers to park on the street and move across the street every two hours. With two coffee breaks and a lunch hour, most can do that no problem. The bylaws needs to be changed before we talk about anything else.
icicle you are right on the money….
I work downtown and pay to park in the parkade like you’re supposed to. Some of my co-workers play the parking game to save 40 bucks a month.
There should be a way to target these workers that are taking parking spaces away from customers. The City should impose an extra fine if your tires are chalked more than 10 times in 2 weeks…..
I keep telling my co-workers that they aren’t really saving too much money given that they probably average a ticket every month and then there’s the odd scratch to your vehicle due to the increased amount of vehicles that come to park in front or behind you. So where’s the savings that’s what I just can’t figure out!!!!
Bringing back the parking meters would really not be fair as just like others have posted – Pine Centre, Parkwood and Walmart……no meters, nuff said.
There’s a simple solution. There’s a handheld license plate scanner that records license plates, checks who’s been naughty and prints tickets.
We can decide what criteria for printing a ticket too. If the vehicle isn’t seen in the downtown much, then give them a break–they’re likely a customer. If they’ve been there lots, they’re an abuser–give them a ticket. If they’ve got a ticket that’s more than two weeks unpaid then tow them.
Don’t penalize the customers, just start enforcing against the abusers.
Very rarely go downtown so they can put in all the meters they like.
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