Free parking is becoming a scarce resource in West Vancouver’s public parks and commercial areas.
At a meeting Monday, council passed a series of new measures to expand the district’s pay parking regime.
That includes adding physical pay stations in two popular public parks and extending annual parking pass eligibility to members of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation). Council also directed staff to keep working toward adding pay parking in parks adjacent to business areas, and potentially expanding pay parking into Ambleside Park.
In a presentation, staff said that pay parking had been added to Cypress Falls and Seaview Walk beginning in May, after getting the green light from council earlier this year. Since launching the pay service, the two parks have generated nearly $5,000 in revenue, staff said.
Going forward, council have approved a budget of $15,000 to fund a year-long pilot with two physical pay stations. It hasn’t yet been confirmed where they will go, but staff said it would likely be Whytecliff and Lighthouse parks.
The district introduced smartphone app-based pay parking at those two parks and Nelson Canyon last year but many visitors have complained of problems with the app due to spotty cell service.
Right parking solution could generate district revenue while helping businesses, ADBIA says
Staff said the district has also began working with the Ambleside and Dundarave Business Improvement Association to advance pay parking in parks adjacent to business areas, including along Argyle Avenue between 14th and 15th streets, as well as John Lawson and Dundarave parks.
Previously, the ADBIA had expressed concerns that pay parking in those areas could drive away potential customers from accessing businesses nearby.
The situation has changed since previous parking studies done in 2017 and 2018, said ADBIA executive director Maureen O’Brien, adding that drivers are no longer respecting parking rules.
“I would like to work with staff because I can’t do it by myself,” she said. “I need the support of the district … so that we can come up with a solution. Because we all want the same thing. We all want to have turnover.”
A good solution could generate revenue for the district while helping local businesses to be successful, O’Brien said
“I’m hoping that some of the money that is generated from the parking near our commercial areas, which will have an impact on our businesses, can go to beautification and sidewalk repairs and garbage pickup.”
Earlier this year, the district made its annual parking pass free for West Vancouver residents. And now, those free passes have been extended to the Squamish Nation. Currently, some district amenities are on Squamish Nation land, including the Ambleside Pitch and Putt golf course and the eastern portion of Ambleside Park.
As the district wants to expand pay parking through that park, staff have attempted to engage with the Nation. On Monday, staff recommended continuing to engage with Squamish Nation about the pay parking expansion but council instead directed staff to “expediently implement pay parking in all areas of Ambleside park excluding where the Squamish Nation is the rightsholder,” and report back after six months’ operation.
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