Written by By MARK NIELSEN
Citizen staff
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Monday, 21 July 2008 |
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SHERRY SETHENTOURISM PRINCE GEORGEGLEN SCOTT
City council voted unanimously Monday night to remove all parking meters and institute a no-charge, two-hour time limit for on-street parking, while replacing the two-warning ticket system with a $25 fine.
Exactly when that will occur is still to be determined. With council’s direction now given, staff will work out the details of implementing the strategy over the coming months.
The proposal follows on the completion of a study of downtown transportation and parking during which a consultant had suggested tougher measures to deal with parking violations -- increasing the fine to $30 from the current $20, doing away with the two-ticket grace and replacing the meters with ticket dispensers, one on each block.
Three more people will be hired to keep eyes out for violators, but the fine revenue should cover the cost of those new employees, council was told.
In answer to concerns that parking tickets would drive away tourists, council endorsed Coun. Sherry Sethen’s motion to work with Tourism Prince George to develop a “friendly parking package.”
Sethen said the tourist information centres in Vernon sell a tourist parking pass for about $10.
“You would put that on your window and if you were over, then you just got a warning as a tourist,” she said.
Coun. Glen Scott, a longtime advocate of eliminating parking meters, welcomed the plan and said a way could be found to make life easier for tourists who aren’t aware of the city’s parking regulations.
“I’m very excited about this,” he said.
Several other recommendations were also endorsed by council:
- Convert Second and Fourth Avenues between Queensway and Victoria to two-way traffic.
The work will also include removing the traffic signal at Second and Queensway this summer and changing the one at Fourth and Queensway.
- Provide marked bicycle lanes and more secure bicycle parking.
- Improve sidewalk safety and accessibility.
- Develop a five-year transit plan and a sustainable transportation strategy.
- Re-evaluate the pricing strategy for off-street parking: Many off-street lots are sold out but have low occupancy, suggesting the service may be underpriced although there may be other explanations, staff said in a report to council.
- Leave the parking system untouched at Civic Centre Plaza-Four Seasons Pool-Two Rivers Gallery and Bob Harkins public library branch.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 September 2008 )
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