To pay or not to pay?
That is the question members of council will be mulling over Wednesday night when they meet as a committee of the whole to discuss the city's return to pay parking downtown.
The meeting, beginning at 6 p.m. in council chambers, is the result of the July 22 council meeting where the group postponed a vote to award a contract worth more than $1 million to Aparc Systems for the supply and installation of pay parking and licence-plate-recognition equipment. The contract also includes maintenance and associated services such as licensing costs, implementation and software integration.
Another $183,000 was estimated as required for the supply and installation of new signage, site preparation, modifications to Plaza Parkade to accommodate the licence-plate system and contingency funds.
Aparc was one of six bids tendered during the city's request for proposal and the system has an approximate life cycle of 10 years.
City staff estimate it will take five years to pay back money to debt reduction and off-street parking reserve funds.
The city removed the parking meters downtown in 2009 for a two-year pilot program and voted in March 2012 to bring back pay parking.
