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No April Fool’s joke: Pay parking comes back April 1 in downtown Penticton

Businesses weigh in on whether they saw more shoppers during free parking
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Downtown Penticton businesses weigh in on whether the winter free 2-hour parking that comes to end March 31 helped see more customers or not. (File photo)

It’s no April Fool’s joke, all though several downtown businesses wish it were. Pay parking in downtown Penticton resumes as of April 1.

The free two-hour street parking people have enjoyed this winter throughout downtown Penticton will wrap up on Friday, March 31.

Following a motion put forward by Coun. Ryan Graham, city council paused paid on-street parking during the winter months in an effort to support downtown businesses during the slower tourist season.

With the three-month break now set to expire, bylaw services will remove the ‘hoods’ from downtown parking meters and notices from parking machines. Current parking rates are $2 per hour.

READ MORE: Council provides free 2-hour parking from Dec. 7 to March 31

Pay parking was very controversial when it was put in April 2021.

The expansion of pay parking saw the use of both meter heads, which were deployed on Ellis Street, Front Streets and side streets and pay machines, which were put in various blocks of Main Street in 2o21.

Some businesses saw an immediate drop in customers and revenue and couldn’t understand why pay parking was brought in at the height of the pandemic and COVID restrictions.

Many customers and business owners also lamented that the new pay stations are spread too far apart and confusing to use. Seniors with mobility issues said they couldn’t walk to a pay station and wanted to be able to just park in front of the business they were going to. Many customers told business owners that they preferred to just drop a quarter into a meter.

Penticton paid out $286,000 for the installation of 160 parking meters and 19 pay machines.

The parking reprieve was granted to give downtown stores and restaurants a bit of a boost. But at the time, some councillors worried the free parking would just clog up the parking with staff members parking in front of where they work.

After the city has confirmed to the Western News there will be no city report on the positives and/or negatives from the free parking, we hit the streets to find out what businesses thought of the winter reprieve.

Gratify, a downtown cafe in the 500-block of Main Street, called for an end to paid parking in an open letter to the city back in December when a customer survey of 486 people showed pay parking was the number one deterrent.

Gratify managing partner Ryan Oickle said he did see an uptick in customers coming to the store since parking has been free.

“We’ve had people point out to us that they’re more willing to come down,” he said. “It’s definitely less of a barrier for seniors and people that don’t want to walk to the metres or use the app, especially in inclement weather.”

He’d like to see a review of a better pay parking system than the current stations.

Chocolatier Eva Pölöskey of Accent Chocolates said customers are confused about the pay stations.

“People just want to throw money into a meter,”she said.

The Book Shop, an institution in the downtown, said they lost regular customers who have never been back since the pay parking was put in.

Lisette Stevenson did say it was hard to gauge whether or not the free parking increased traffic. Spring break was busy with kids through the store and the Art Walk brought in many ‘happy book people.’

“We have had a lot of locals say how nice it has been to come in and enjoy the store without having to worry about parking,” she added.

Teas and Weaves, located in the 200 block of Main St. was vocal early on in how pay parking changes the dynamics of downtown, and at the time said customers had shared their plans to shop elsewhere or online.

READ MORE: Small businesses say pay machines frustrate

Teas and Weaves manager Fiona Logi said they’ve noticed more foot traffic since the free two-hour parking. They also said that customers much prefer a meter out front to the pay stations.

“Now you have to remember your plate and find a station down the street,” Logi added.

The DPBIA is providing a free two-hour parking lot available in the Braeburn lot at 200 Block Backstreet Blvd. until April 30.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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