Yes, I have enjoyed meter-free, on-street parking downtown. But is it the only reason I shop downtown?
Certainly not.
I shop downtown because merchants provide me with products that are unique, and not just cookie-cutter versions of whatever is for sale in the malls.
Will I stop shopping downtown because I have to plug a meter?
Certainly not.
Maybe I will even be able to find a parking space nearer to the stores I visit, if staff and owners stop using on-street parking spots that are meant for customers.
Having said that, I recognize that even if I have to park a block away from my favourite restaurants or fabric, lighting, and hardware stores, I'm probably not walking any farther than I would have to walk from a mall parking lot to a particular mall store.
We, in the North, take space for granted. Think about trying to park downtown in Vancouver, Victoria, or Kelowna.
Is it free?
Can you even find a spot anywhere near your chosen destination?
As long as merchants downtown provide me with products that are important in my life, it will take more than plugging a meter to keep me away.
Carol Johnson
Prince George
