Victoria city hall could be facing an alternative transportation parking crunch.
The bike racks in front of city hall are regularly full by 8 a.m., meaning there’s not enough bicycle parking for customers, Coun. Shellie Gudgeon said.
During a city initiatives update, Gudgeon said she recently heard from a resident who showed up at city hall to pay a bill only to find all the bike spaces in front taken.
When he attempted to lock his bike to a walkway ramp railing, a commissionaire told him he would have to lock the bike somewhere else.
Gudgeon said it’s “critical to customer service” that bike parking in front of city hall be left available for customers.
“I just think that it’s important that, similar to the automobile parking, the prime spots should be for our customers — not our staff and not ourselves,” Gudgeon said.
“It’s just congruent with providing optimal customer service and providing our clients and our residents with the best parking the city has. Those typically, in my very humble opinion, would be those ones that exist at the front door.”
City employees are “strongly encouraged” to park in the parkade, said director of engineering Dwayne Kalynchuk, adding that he will follow up to make sure enough bike parking is available.
“What a wonderful problem to have that we have to provide more bike parking,” said Mayor Dean Fortin, adding that he’s looking for a solution that doesn’t discourage staff from riding bikes.
“I’d rather look for an opportunity to expand the bike parking than leave this meeting saying council wants you to put your bike up there where you don’t feel comfortable, safe or that sort of stuff.
“So I want to know all the intended consequences. There’s got to be a win/win out of this as opposed to picking winners and losers.”
Kalynchuk said there may be an opportunity to expand the bicycle parking.
“It may be a case of asking staff to park on the other side [of city hall] and leaving the front side for our customers. I’m sure we can accommodate both,” he said.
