I work downtown and like many others, cannot afford the cost of pay parking. My hours of work make it impossible to take public transit therefore I require my vehicle. When I heard the reasons given by city council for the incredulous increase in rates of downtown parking lots, I decided to do some research. The reason that was given for the increase was that Prince George was bringing the rates up to market value. From what I have discovered, this is true, on the surface. The difference lies in the service delivery model. In a comparable city, downtown workers can pay $3 to $4 a day for day parking. If you multiply this by say, 30 days, it amounts to a monthly cost of $90 to $120, similar to the Prince George rate increase. But who works 30 days a month? In this comparable city, you can pay by the day, and don't pay for the days you don't need to, such as days off, sick days and vacation.
So what are some suggestions for our city council? A similar pay by day option could be offered, or co-ordinate a sort of time-share program where workers who work on opposing days of the week can share a parking spot. For those who want to secure a spot every day of the month, offer a discount if they pay six months at a time. Downtown workers bring money to downtown businesses, whether it is buying lunch a local cafe, shopping at a retail store or going to a downtown gym after work. A solution to the downtown parking dilemma might be for the city to try working with those who support the downtown; those who work there.
Fern Wiens
Prince George
