Victoria city hall’s plan to steer motorists into parkades is working, early indications suggest.
In the first week after Victoria slashed parkade hourly fees and made the first hour free, parkade use jumped about 12 per cent, which translates into an additional 300 cars in parkades.
“My understanding is the parkades are quite full and we’re finding there is capacity on the street,” said Dwayne Kalynchuk, the city’s director of engineering.
“So early indications are it seems to be going well.”
The city rolled out the parking plan Sept. 15 in an effort to improve parking turnover on downtown streets.
Under the scheme, the first hour of parking in parkades is free and the parkade rate has been decreased to $2 an hour (charged in 15-minute intervals), down from $2.50 an hour.
Parking is free in parkades from 6 p.m. until 8 a.m. Parking is also free on streets and in parkades Sundays and holidays. And rates for street parking in some less-congested areas are being reduced.
At the same time, the rate for about 840 metered street stalls within three minutes walking distance of a parkade was raised to $3 from $2.50.
On the first Saturday of the new system, city parkades saw a 17 per cent increase over traditional usage.
The city is also encouraging long-term parkers, including government officials, to use upper levels of parkades so that casual users have access to lower stalls.
There’s also been good uptake on the city’s new Safe-Walk program, which allows someone entering a parkade to call for an escort to their car. Each parkade has its own Safe-Walk phone number posted on signs and on the city’s website.
Thirty-one people took advantage in the first week, with the most calls coming from users of the Bastion Square parkade.
The city has been working with the Downtown Victoria Business Association to distribute information about the changes, including decals promoting the first-hour free offer.
Association general manager Ken Kelly said the changes are being well received.
“This is really a great news story only because we’re dealing with parking and everyone has a smile on their face,” he said.
“The response from our businesses has been very positive, very supportive and appreciative of council’s actions.”
Kalynchuk said it will take about six months to get a more accurate reading of the new program’s success.
Victoria is also planning to work with the business association to develop a training program for parking-enforcement officers that would encourage them to be ambassadors for the city.
