Calgarians with lower downtown parking rates on their Christmas list might get their wish.
Stopping short of promising a rate drop, Calgary Parking Authority manager Dale Fraser said he is hopeful an upcoming review of CPA rates sees a decrease in the pipeline for motorists in 2010.
“Though we’re not finished the review yet, we do think we may be able to pass down some relief, but we will know for sure in the next couple of weeks,” Fraser said.
“I think as commuters enter downtown and pay for parking, they would like to see parking rate reductions.”
Fraser said the comprehensive review has so far indicated Calgarians are paying at the top of the rate spectrum, so there is the possibility of lowering rates in some form.
Ward 7 Ald. Druh Farrell is happy to hear of potential parking relief and said he believes the new Park Plus system will allow for rate reductions for the first hour of short-term parking, for example.
“I think this is the way we will go because we want to provide short-term parking options and still have that turnover rate so other motorists can park there, too,” Farrell said.
“The problem before was motorists would park all day and that would create a parking shortage downtown, and the new Park Plus system allows us to work with our rates.”
The Calgary Downtown Association is also anxiously awaiting the results of the parking-rate review, expected mid-November, and hopes reduced rates will attract more Calgarians to the core.
“We found the cost of parking rates to be one of the biggest deterrents for people coming into the core, and we think reduced rates will definitely draw more people back,” spokesperson Caralyn Macdonald said.
