Permanent paid parking recommended for Spanish Banks Beach
A group of men play volleyball at Spanish Banks Beach in Vancouver B.C., on Monday, May 20, 2013. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
A recommendation to make paid parking at Vancouver's popular Spanish Banks Beach permanent – with a 'marginal increase' in price – is coming to the Vancouver Park Board Monday.
The board launched a pilot program last year, charging $1 per hour to those parking in 744 stalls at the popular destination. A report from staff says it has generated an estimated $168,000 in revenue in 10 months – surpassing the board's initial estimate of $121,000 over 12 months.
'These revenue figures suggest that paid parking has not been a deterrent to parking lot use, while significantly improving capacity for funding service improvements,' the report says.
Before the pilot, the beach was the only one in the city with free parking. The pilot prompted a petition opposing the move that gathered around 8,500 signatures.
'No paid parking implementation project is without some level of negative public sentiment. The Spanish Banks Beach pilot was not an exception,' the report says, noting that there were some 'minor incidents of vandalism and service interruption' when the program began.
The latest proposal, if approved, would see the fee increase to $1.50 per hour year-round, a rate the report says reflects inflation and matches the city's minimum rates for on-street parking.
'Free parking is increasingly rare in Vancouver – the city is densifying, demand for parking is increasing, and operating costs are impacted by inflation. Parking comes at a cost for municipalities, who subsidize free parking at the expense of core service delivery for all residents and visitors, whether they drive or not,' the report says.
'Establishing reasonable fees for the individual use of parking spaces connects the cost of that service to the user that directly benefits while providing indirect benefits for all residents.'
The report says the increased rate will generate and estimated $255,000 in revenue per year. A potential increase to $2 per hour in 2026 would bring in $340,000 per year.
The benefits of paid parking cited in the report include collecting money from visitors who don't pay taxes in the city and enabling bylaw officers to enforce rules against overnight parking.
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