That Staff be directed to prepare a report on options to provide two-hour free parking within City owned parkades during the Commercial Street redesign project.
move it, properly speaking. But. Councillor Manly, seconds. Thank you, Councillor Eastmeer. Yes, thank you. So. Earlier Councillor had approved pre parking on Commercial street, but the fact is that really only opened up. Up to 23 spots on commercial and a couple on skinner. So in speaking to downtown business owners, it hasn't really made much of it done in their ability to say that there is free available parking downtown. And given that, my motion is asking for a staff report on options. To provide two hour free parking in the parcades. I would appreciate moving this now so that we are prepared when the Christmas and holiday shopping season rolls around so that we might be able to open up some space in the parquet to draw more folks downtown to support our amazing downtown businesses. Thank
Councillor Eastmeer. Thank you. And just in response, We had the estimate of the impact to the street parking cost, but I don't believe that the impact to the money recoup through the parcades was part of the original report, and at the time, staff had said that it would be possible. To make something work in the parcades, but it would require some signage and appropriate management of the spaces and at the time suggested that that could come to Councillor in the future. If we heard. From business owners that offering the free parking on the street was not having much of an impact. And so, given that we have had some time since that original decision, and I have spent a lot of time downtown speaking to people about the spaces that are open. I think this is appropriate, so. I appreciate the support on this. Thank
support for the reasons given. My question through you to staff is I understood or I recall in a previous report, not that. Long ago, when we were looking at providing on street free parking, we had some estimates for what it would cost to include the parquet. So that's great. I feel like we have that information at the ready, and we can. Pop it into the next report. But I am curious about these nuances of is it the whole parcade. Is it 25% of the parcade? Can we look at some unique opportunities? Like validating parking with purchases. The downtown businesses. So support. And I think I'm just confirming that we have had information on costing within the last six months. Yes, I'm seeing an odd. Okay, fact. That have the free two hour parking. If I may, I think having that information specifically in the report would be really great. Exactly how many spots are we dealing with? How many are we looking to increase, et
cetera. That'd? Be great. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Manley. Thank you, worship. I'm happy to. Support this as well. I think anything we can do to help the downtown businesses, especially leading up to the Christmas season. One of the things that wasn't. In the report was a validation. Parking validation option. Which I think was something that happened in early days for businesses. With the convention center that some of the leaseholders I seem to recall, but. It's a good option because. People that do support those businesses. Then could get their parking validated, and we could work out some way to ensure that people who do support
you. Councillor Thorpe, please. Thank you. I'm prepared to support this. I'm hoping, and I think I'm hearing that it won't be too labor intensive for staff to come back with this report because we are talking about basically a short. Term solution. So if the time and effort needed to prepare this report and then follow through on it potentially. Is not worth it. In the long term, then I would have some qualms, but I'm prepared to move ahead. Because I think some of this information is already available, and I'll also support it. Your worship, I have to say, because. I'm really encouraged by the fact that Councillor is interested in the issue of parking and. The need for parking and the need for parking in our downtown, and I would love to see the report include options for increasing parking options downtown, such as expanding the Vaston street parcade but I suspect that would not be considered a friendly amendment, so I won't bother going. There. Today. However, I think it is a topic that we need to consider. Parking is crucial to getting people into
our downtown. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor. Thorough. I suspect if we were playing battleship, someone would be sinking their battleship. Was. Sunk. Before I indicated I'm going to vote. I must say, I think most of the information that would relate to this report, particularly with respect to Barcades, was in fact provided to us earlier, and it indicated pretty clearly there were significant complexities with it that it would look like a goodwill gesture, but. It would be very. Limited. In terms of providing actual two hour free parking in our parcades, I'm not prepared. Tonight just because. I'm tired, and I'm not interested in having some long debate about it. I'm prepared to support the motion, but. I will be less than honest if I didn't say I'm somewhat disappointed, given the information we received earlier that Councillor wants to go back and revisit this when that. Information was largely available. Now I see Councillor Guestelbrock and Eastmere wish to say something more, and they're certainly welcome to do so. But I am not here at anyone. Who's going to vote against the motion, so I trust
you, mayor. For being so gracious. No. In the report, I know that the one option of the parcade wasn't pursued. There were complications in the sense that there are people that are paying for long term parking, but. In discussion, it did come up that we looked at that two hour limit and maybe limiting a portion of it that we could overcome that challenge and at least be able to provide something. So that was one of the