Victoria wants to know what you think of proposed changes to parking downtown.
Residents are invited to complete an online survey by May 2 or to attend an open house on April 25 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in the city hall antechamber, 1 Centennial Square.
The city’s parking strategy hopes to free up more street parking by encouraging people to use parkades.
Some proposed incentives include offering the first hour free, providing free evening parking Monday to Saturday in all city parkades, and reducing and standardizing parkade rates.
Proposals also includes raising metered street parking rates to $3 an hour from $2.50 in areas within a three-minute walk of a parkade while reducing rates in less central areas.
Key recommendations include:
• Variable hourly rates (from $1.50 to $3 an hour) for street parking with time limits ranging from 90 minutes to all day.
• Free parking in parkades after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Eliminating about 200 street parking permits issued to Greater Victoria elected officials.
• Making the first hour free in all city parkades.
• Streamlining and reducing parking rates in parkades.
• Moving monthly, long-term parking to higher floors of parkades.
Other recommendations focus on areas such as new training for all city parking staff and commissionaires, and improved signage and parking information online, on-street and in parkades.
For more information and the online survey, go to the city’s website. Print surveys will also be available at Victoria City Hall and at the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre.
