CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Free parking could be coming back to downtown Charlottetown.
Mayor Philip Brown said he’s willing to take a look at the issue, although it’s far more likely that council would agree to providing free parking at certain times of the year than to take the meters out altogether.
The City of Charlottetown estimated it made $968,678 in parking meter revenue in 2017 and expects to make close to $1.2 million in revenue in the 2018-19 budget year.
For comparison purposes, the City of Summerside doesn’t charge for parking in its downtown. Most of its parking is restricted, instead, to a maximum of two hours (extended in December).
“In a city our size it’s better without the meters, but I’m not sure of all the circumstances in Charlottetown or other cities that have them,’’ said Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart. “For the shoppers and trying to keep the downtown alive, it helps just by having the system the way it is. Having said that we need more parking in the downtown, and that will be something the new council will have to look at.’’
The provincial government eliminated parking fees at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown in 2016. Those fees pulled in about $250,000 a year.
"Is anyone talking about the loss of revenue (at the hospital)? No. Are people happy about (free parking)? Yes.’’
The City of Charlottetown has provided free parking in the past, for three weeks during the Christmas shopping season in 2001 and 2003. Brown was the driving force behind it when he served as a councillor.
The parkades, which operate under the control of the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation, continued to charge the usual fees.
“It’s a source of revenue and it’s a source of revenue that we can’t take for granted,’’ Brown said. “We can’t just put it to the side. We have to look at how we make it work best for all residents; anyone who wants to do business in the downtown.’’
The city has metered parking in an effort to create turnover, so there are spaces for people to shop. Violators are hit with $10 fines.
However, people who work in the downtown say they are the ones who spend money at the coffee shops and lunch counters, and there have been countless letters to the editor from people, trying to work and shop downtown, complaining that parking commissionaires have become overzealous.
Brown said he would like to have a standing committee, the one that will be responsible for parking, look into the issue or have it part of an organizational review of the city’s operations.
“I would prefer to leave it to the committee responsible for parking and have a full discussion.’’
Brown was clear the city would have to consider what it makes from metered parking and what it cost to take it out, either permanently or for specific times of the year.
“Everything is on the table, (but) it’s council that makes the decision. I want to make it very clear to The Guardian that there is a process that we must follow.’’
