West Vancouver’s effort to broaden pay parking has been a self-inflicted failure. An own goal, as we say in hockey and soccer. Several, in fact.
It has hurt local businesses, the sports community, neighbours, the District’s reputation and culture, and the credibility of mayor and council.
Mayor and council would like to sweep it under the carpet for the election campaign. I expect both of my mayoralty competitors to try to reassure voters that they have latent qualms about an initiative they touted and touted and voted and voted to support several times in the face of fierce opposition. Don’t buy it.
I think the initiative needs to be swept aside. Let’s look for other ways to build revenue. Meantime, let’s focus on the important issue of enforcement in the term-parking zones to mitigate the chronic harm to our commercial districts.
From the outset, the idea of pay parking has been poorly considered, consulted, defined and delivered. A string of walk-backs, carve-outs and jerry-rigs has tried to salvage this latest edition of the ready-fire-aim habits of this mayor and council in their handling of the local economy.
When pay parking was in three parks, people couldn’t always use the smartphone app, so were ticketed and had to fight Impark for relief.
When mayor and council determined that West Vancouverites would suddenly be exempt rather than pay $20 annually, the plan was weakened as a revenue source despite being a toll booth to visitors.
When staff was ordered to “expediently implement” pay parking in Ambleside, additional bylaw officers strangely weren’t added to enforce nearby time-limited free parking. Many drivers simply steered clear of pay parking and opted for free parking, often in front of nearby businesses, knowing they could stay long without likely consequences. I recently watched someone park in a 15-minute spot, pull out fishing rods and take his two children to the beach. Must have been a quick catch, like an arcade fish pond.
When businesses, sports organizations and non-residents stepped up complaints, the municipality reduced the hourly rate to $2.50 from $5.08. When that didn’t stop the serious impact on businesses, more accommodations and crawl-downs ensued.
Now we have a situation of 90-minute free parking for everyone, unlimited free parking for West Vancouver residents, and a study to determine the economic impact on businesses still hurt by free parking in front of their premises and, presumably, how to expand the program.
Let’s just build a proper enforcement program and create a comprehensive consultation on our revenue needs in the community before we make any more moves that just dig the hole deeper.