5619 replies to this topic

[rjag]

Sometimes.

 

That parkade is not really big enough to service the mall itself, never mind those who park there to go elsewhere.  It's often full.

 

Private parkade on Broughton at Gordon as well

[FogPub]

Private parkade on Broughton at Gordon as well

True, though if I'm going anywhere round there I'd just hit the city parkade under the library for the first hour free - if what I'm doing is going to take longer than an hour I usually wouldn't bother taking the car anyway.

[Ismo07]

Street parking is a tax that couldn't care less about "customers".

A private parkade is part of a service industry that caters to customers needs.

 

Wouldn't you consider paying for parking just like paying for any other service?  The is GST on parking but like any service you likely pay tax on that.  Parking is, and should be, priced like any other commodity.  Downtown is very busy and spaces to store your vehicle can be scarce.  Time limits and pricing are really the only two ways to ensure turnover occurs, without either what would occur is similar to Sunday mornings (before 10am) which is a very limited capacity in the downtown core (on-street).  I would argue that cost to parking with time limits caters to customers needs ensuring that there is turnover so those customers are not driving around searching for a space.  Private parkades can provide this function certainly but at a much higher hourly price or tax I suppose.

[Rob Randall]

And the guy that complained about only having a five-minute grace period. How much free time do you need? 10 minutes? Half an hour? Five minutes is a time frame we came up with together as a society to balance out the people who are running a bit late and the people who need a space and can't get one due to parkers hogging spaces past the time they paid for.

[Mike K.]

Speaking of which, when are you implementing Sunday parking charges?

[Cassidy]

Wouldn't you consider paying for parking just like paying for any other service?  The is GST on parking but like any service you likely pay tax on that.  Parking is, and should be, priced like any other commodity.  Downtown is very busy and spaces to store your vehicle can be scarce.  Time limits and pricing are really the only two ways to ensure turnover occurs, without either what would occur is similar to Sunday mornings (before 10am) which is a very limited capacity in the downtown core (on-street).  I would argue that cost to parking with time limits caters to customers needs ensuring that there is turnover so those customers are not driving around searching for a space.  Private parkades can provide this function certainly but at a much higher hourly price or tax I suppose.

My comment was made in the context of the post two above my own, where I was responding primarily to the concept that every service that was available downtown was available elsewhere - with plenty of free parking.

 

The simple truth is that downtown parking is a total headache, and is about as far removed from caring about the customer it's presumably serving as is possible to get.

I long ago realized that the COV doesn't really give a crap about folks leaving the downtown and conducting their shopping and business outside of the core (with its brutal paid street parking).

There's always "new blood" to fill the downtown street parking spots.

 

But that doesn't excuse the fact that the state of downtown street parking (especially post bike-lanes) is an excellent reason to avoid downtown all together.

[Ismo07]

My comment was made in the context of the post two above my own, where I was responding primarily to the concept that every service that was available downtown was available elsewhere - with plenty of free parking.

 

The simple truth is that downtown parking is a total headache, and is about as far removed from caring about the customer it's presumably serving as is possible to get.

I long ago realized that the COV doesn't really give a crap about folks leaving the downtown and conducting their shopping and business outside of the core (with its brutal paid street parking).

There's always "new blood" to fill the downtown street parking spots.

 

But that doesn't excuse the fact that the state of downtown street parking (especially post bike-lanes) is an excellent reason to avoid downtown all together.

 

I'm not trying to convince you but land is seldom free.  I will say though, The City has a lot of respect for customer service.  Just look at the parking app for starters, ParkVictoria allows everyone using it the ability to pay for the time that they use.  Most fair system for parking, likely worldwide.  I can only think of a handful of cities to try this and even less that continues.  Since 2001 there has been a parking card that provides this.  Today over 35% of transactions are completed by these two options.  1st hour free in the parkades is likely one of the most positive improvements on behalf of customers.  The City actively offers ways to avoid tickets and cancels many for education and courtesies as well as issues warning tickets to vehicles.  I would say one of the least punitive and understanding systems in the country in this respect.

 

Don't get me wrong, parking is not likely going to be one of the positive things for a downtown, any downtown.  No one comes here specifically to park but there are more positive comments over the last 4 years than ever before, so at least there is that.  It'll always be an uphill battle for the lonely parking team.

[Sparky]

I for one absolutely love the parking app. It’s a godsend for our employees too.

Now if I could only remember to”stop parking “ when I jump back into my car I will save even more money.

[Cassidy]

 It'll always be an uphill battle for the lonely parking team.

It's a thankless job Ismo, and I know that you and COV staff take your overall direction from elected officials.

The bike lane issue (for example) as it relates to parking, has nothing to do with you or your staff, I wouldn't ever imply that it did.

 

I have a slightly different take on things like the parking app and somewhat flexible cancellation of parking tickets ... and that would be that these are steps the COV has had to take in order to keep encouraging people to continue to spend their money and conduct their business in the downtown core.

In other words, if you parking folks didn't undertake these "customer friendly" things as they relate to street parking, shoppers would be far more inclined to seek service providers and shopping opportunities in the distant malls, and the outlying areas of town ... places with free and easy parking 24/7.

 

But I do give you that downtown street parking is an easy target to whine about, as I've proven in my last couple of posts! 

[tjv]

It's a thankless job Ismo,

Not disagreeing that in the slightest, but I would guess it also pays $25-30 per hr.  Just to compare the City is looking for a bridge operator, requires a grade 10 education $27.66/hr to start (I am thinking sleeping a lot, push button to raise the bridge, watch the boat go under, push button to lower bridge, back to sleep)

 

Maybe you want a more challenging job as a gardener - $33.43/hr to start

 

Yup, I can easily see a parking ticket guy making 30.  Really not that thankless in the end

[Cassidy]

Yup, I can easily see a parking ticket guy making 30.  Really not that thankless in the end

 

Ismo and his crew are excellent at their jobs, I've worked with him on past projects unrelated to the contents of these past few posts, and couldn't ask for a better guy to work with considering the intricacies of parking in the COV.

 

Ismo didn't create downtown parking issues, but he sure goes way out of his way to try a solve whatever parking issue he's tasked with solving.

[Ismo07]

Not disagreeing that in the slightest, but I would guess it also pays $25-30 per hr.  Just to compare the City is looking for a bridge operator, requires a grade 10 education $27.66/hr to start (I am thinking sleeping a lot, push button to raise the bridge, watch the boat go under, push button to lower bridge, back to sleep)

 

Maybe you want a more challenging job as a gardener - $33.43/hr to start

 

Yup, I can easily see a parking ticket guy making 30.  Really not that thankless in the end

 

In this case, that's not close to true.  When the program took over from an outsourced contractor we had to create it with the same budget in mind. 

 

Ismo and his crew are excellent at their jobs, I've worked with him on past projects unrelated to the contents of these past few posts, and couldn't ask for a better guy to work with considering the intricacies of parking in the COV.

 

Ismo didn't create downtown parking issues, but he sure goes way out of his way to try a solve whatever parking issue he's tasked with solving.

 

Yikes Cassidy, thank you for the kind words and noticing.  I do enjoy trying to make parking better for people.  Also I like coming on to VV to clear up some misunderstandings.

[tjv]

In this case, that's not close to true.  When the program took over from an outsourced contractor we had to create it with the same budget in mind.

Ah interesting, then I stand corrected.  I know the Commissionaires were generally cheap on a charge out rate

[DustMagnet]

Wasn't sure if this would be more of a parking topic or transit topic, but I'm guessing parking since that would generate more complaints I think.

 

This has a lot going for it.  1) It takes away a God-given right. 2) It supports other peoples' kids, especially galling if you don't have any of your own. 3) It's the final, final, really final and we mean it this time nail in the coffin that is the end of all Victoria businesses.  4) It doesn't affect anyone because no one goes downtown anymore.

https://www.vicnews....transit-passes/

[Cats4Hire]

Camosun and Uvic students don't "opt-in" for the bus pass. We pay for it in tuition with no opt-out. Also how is pay parking "creative" lol. Aside from just raising taxes and making everyone pay anyway that's the least "creative" way a city could raise money.

[Cats4Hire]

Isn't the reason parking is free on Sundays so they don't have to pay people to manage it? Parkades could probably be all automatic but not the street parking.

[tjv]

^the one in 700? block of Johnson is fully automatic

[Cats4Hire]

ok so unless she just meant parkades will be paid on Sunday they'd still need to pay someone to ride around watching the street parkers

[DustMagnet]

Or maybe they are projecting they could make enough to cover bus passes and hours for enforcement personnel?

Maybe no one thought it through that far?
 

Also, not every parent needs to buy a bus pass for their kids.  If your child attends their catchment* school and lives beyond the defined walking distance limit they get monthly bus passes for free**.

* Or whatever system they are using now - the school your kids is supposed to attend.
** Free like free healthcare.

[rjag]

Funny thing is there is tons of unused parking downtown on a Sunday so if its just a $1 or $2 flat fee for the day folks wont be fussed. Meanwhile malls and outlying areas are packed on Sundays. Whats the reason why nobody goes downtown on a Sunday? Ever walked up Fort St?

 

A far better approach would be to take the concept 2 steps further.

 

Bring it up to the CRD level so its region wide and secondly combine the youth bus bass as a rec centre pass then have the CRD figure out a combination of a penny on gas tax and $5-$10 per household or something similar.

 

That way it is a regional approach to get more kids on buses and also encourage them to use the rec centres. 

 

Who wouldnt support that? 

Edited by rjag, 04 December 2018 - 09:12 AM.