Canada Line | Completed

[SpongeG]

Vancouver may charge for parking near Canada Line

By David Karp, VANCOUVER SUNMay 29, 2009Comments (19)

VANCOUVER -- Residents living near four Canada Line stations in Vancouver will be required to pay $33 a year to park outside their homes if a staff recommendation to city council is approved.

A report being presented to council on Tuesday recommends permit parking for residents living close to the King Edward, Oakridge-41st Avenue, Langara-49th Avenue and Marine Drive stations. Starting next fall, residents would need to purchase permits to park on nearby streets from Monday to Saturday before 6 p.m.

The one-time costs of installing parking signs are estimated at $90,000, while revenue from the parking permits is estimated to be $38,000 each year. Enforcement of the permits is expected to generate additional revenue, said assistant city engineer Jerry Dobrovolny.

“We know that parking is important to residents, and that people value having on-street parking near their homes. Whenever we have rapid transit stations opening, we go out proactively and do this,” Dobrovolny said.

The report also recommends council designate commercial areas near the four stations as meter zones, which would allow staff to bring in parking meters at their discretion. Parking would cost $1 an hour, according to the report.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Vancouver+charge+parking+near+Canada+Line/1644696/story.html

the comments:

Islander

May 30, 2009 - 8:36 PM
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Thank goodness I don't live in Vancouver.


Fairness

May 30, 2009 - 5:08 PM
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Don't punish those who live near the stations. They did not have a choice where the stations were placed. Just erect signs "parking for residents only". If the city needs a cash grab, they can ticket all the illegal cars in the area. As for parking near each station, you think the "planners" should have dealt with this issue before building the canada line?????/ The city should just by up some land around each station and create a pay parking lot for transit users. The goal is to reduce the use of cars and increase ridership. But don't punish the local community - who already pay their fair share of taxes.


Lary Waldman

May 30, 2009 - 4:33 PM
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I like the may, as in maybe yes maybe no. The shortage of money for transit is at a critical stage. All parking should be raised, then people might get that living in a city is about transit and no car. But then again, this is Vancouver where people expect to get what they want when they want. Period, discussion to follow! Lary Waldman


R&R

May 30, 2009 - 3:14 PM
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The City needs money. The City has been anti-cars for years. So what could be more righteous then taxing parking? We all know owning and using a car is a sin. We are told so every day. So, it's a no-brainer for the City. They get money and we get to be saved from our evil ways. It's a win-win situation.


BW

May 30, 2009 - 2:20 PM
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To What Gives. You pay more because you are "La creme de la creme" Remember the silly twit who said that. You guys managed to weasel your way out of the Canada Line when half the infrastructure was already in place, causing tens of millions more in costs. So shut up and pay your $65.00.


James

May 30, 2009 - 1:51 PM
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That is Vision Vancouver for you. Tax Tax Tax and more taxes coming


WHAT GIVES?

May 30, 2009 - 11:08 AM
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Why do people who live in the West End have to pay $65 for a parking permit? I would love to pay $33.


West Side

May 30, 2009 - 10:09 AM
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I live near Cambie. Look people, the cost is minimal, and this will help you not have half of Richmond park in front of your house. Look at the west end of down town. People living in Condos or Apartments have to get a permit, otherwise all of downtown parking would be filled with people working there.


DaddyDayCare

May 30, 2009 - 7:55 AM
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I agree that this is a difficult issue to solve; how to 'create' parking in a city that is already packed to the gills. I know of many areas around Vancouver that have Permit parking and I wonder if they reacted the same way when it was first initiated in their neighbourhoods? I wonder if those who live in these areas now appreciate the fact that they actually CAN park in front of their house when they get home from work? That said, we all know Permit parking is sometimes merely a deterent and not a guarantee that people will not just park there anyways! I think it's important to remember that it's way easier to 'shoot down' something than to offer realisitic solutions. What did they do in N Van? haven't heard about that.


eric cruz

May 30, 2009 - 7:39 AM
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Cash grab! The solution to this problem is to put up signs that read "parking is for residents of such and such block" like everywhere else. Why should I have to pay for permits when people who live near Kits Beach, Spanish Banks, PNE, Nat Bailey Stadium etc etc don't have to? This is a shameless cash grab! Didn't my property taxes just go up 7%? I have to pay for Translink and I don't even use it and last time I checked I didn't elect those bozos! The city council in this city are drunk with power. I'll pay to park in front of my house when the residents of the "Westside" have to as well. Its bad enough that this Canada Line was forced down our throats when they easily could have used the existing line on Arbutus. Oh yeah, the Creme de la Creme live there and have to be exempt. I'm sick of this —! Every year council adds new taxes and offers less services. For example, I was snowed in for the entire month of December and my street was never cleared yet they fined merchants who didn't clear their sidewalks!? Council members have parking permits that allow them to park anywhere. Is this fair?


Pay Up

May 30, 2009 - 5:53 AM
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I have no sympathy for winy west side folks who are too cheap to pay $33 a year. You DON'T own the property from the sidewalk out. It's to your benefit that there will be restricted parking. I would just love to see everybody parked in front of your "property" all day long because you were too cheap to ante up. Get use to it.


Vancouverite

May 29, 2009 - 10:18 PM
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This extra revenue will pay for even more Vegas trips!


love permit parking

May 29, 2009 - 9:55 PM
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street in front of your house is city property. It is a privilege to park in front of your house. They are looking at the fact that non residents will take advantage of free parking and park in front of your house. Believe you me having permit parking is better than having people take up your streets with their cars.


the dave

May 29, 2009 - 9:55 PM
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who the hell do you think pays your wages? It's us tax payers. And now you have the gall to tax us more to park in front of our homes. If if was up to me, I fired the bunch you incompentent morons. A public worker has no accountability because it's not their money they are spending. If it was their money, they would manage it a lot more diligently. Makes me wonder if you are qualified to work in the private sector if you ever lost your public job.


Tinkindling

May 29, 2009 - 9:18 PM
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There was a time when we were citizens of Vancouver. Now, the bureaucrats and politicians have made us into clients, and "sources of revenue". When we were citizens, our taxes paid to build those streets. Now, as sources of revenue, we have to pay to park on the streets we paid for. There are other ways to deal with any potential parking problems, and the City of North Vancouver has already shown how it can be done without charging to park in front of your own residence. The long-term ramifications of this are perhaps already evident in the distressingly low voter turnouts we see in our elections.

[mr.x]

terrible idea.

[SpongeG]

why? its for a parking permit - if they don't police parking than commuters will take away what parking is there

and than the home owners will whine that they have to park miles away form their homes

[zivan56]

The city has been adding "more" parking spaces at the expense of safety around my building near Cambie Village. I can't see cars coming from both directions on 16th unless I actually drive halfway into the street blindly. We have sent letters to the city, but so far they have ignored them...
The parking spaces blocking the view were previously no parking zones...so this is very annoying.

[mr.x]

I saw a train being tested today...gotta say that I'm still quite dissappointed with the trains. It looks utterly cheap, from afar and inside.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by mr.x

terrible idea.

Saying "terrible" without offering a reason?

Anyway, I don't see a problem with this. People pay for the added convenience of being close to transit. If they don't pay for it, it will be paid for by people in the rest of Vancouver.

[SpongeG]

the stuff on the outside is tag resistant - the guy at the open house was telling us - if its gets spray painted they can wash it off easily - in fact they have done so a couple times already apparently

my friend said it felt/looked like teflon

it was neat though - good to know its going to stay tagless

[CBeats]

As mentioned before, this is to protect residents on those streets from being denied parking space because they're all full of commuters. Obviously. Throwing out some vague complaint about additional taxes doesn't change the logic of this announcement.

[MistyMountainHop]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Saying "terrible" without offering a reason?

Anyway, I don't see a problem with this. People pay for the added convenience of being close to transit. If they don't pay for it, it will be paid for by people in the rest of Vancouver.

They'll already pay for it with higher property taxes. Why should they have to pay something else if they already live there?

[DKaz]

I see this more as administrative costs, otherwise CoV may not bother implementing this program if the residents don't want to pay, but they won't be able to whine about all the unknown cars parking on their streets.

I lived downtown once and paid for a parking permit, $25 well spent IMO. Some apartments charge $20/mo just for surface unsecure parking.

[metroXpress]

I still hoped that they paint the exterior of the cars...rather than leaving it with that bare metal colour!!

[agrant]

Originally Posted by Allen

I still hoped that they paint the exterior of the cars...rather than leaving it with that bare metal colour!!

One word - advertising.

[vango]

The retro looking Centennial Rocket has been reinstalled at the Cambie Street Plaza.
http://vancouver.ca/publicart_wac/publicart.exe/indiv_artwork?pnRegistry_No=178

[mrjauk]

Some of the reader comments to the article posted above have my scratching my head and wondering just how many residents have never lived in other cities of equal (or larger) size. The level of ignorance is disconcerting.

[racc]

Originally Posted by DKaz

I see this more as administrative costs, otherwise CoV may not bother implementing this program if the residents don't want to pay, but they won't be able to whine about all the unknown cars parking on their streets.

I lived downtown once and paid for a parking permit, $25 well spent IMO. Some apartments charge $20/mo just for surface unsecure parking.

Street parking should be a lot more expensive. It is really unfair that people get to use public space for essential free to park their cars. People without cars are subsidizing this low cost or free parking.

A surface parking space costs at least $5000 in construction and land costs while an underground space can cost over $60,000 dollars.

The City should dramatically increase the price on on street parking instead of increasing property taxes. It is ridiculous that we use a tax on housing, which is essential and a basic human right, to subsidize driving, which is a matter of personal choice, not a necessity of life.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Allen

I still hoped that they paint the exterior of the cars...rather than leaving it with that bare metal colour!!

its not really metal it has a finish on it - its weird if you touch it and see it up close

they look good - like old school subway trains

[SpongeG]

i know as a parker there are many areas outside of the west end where you can easily find parking - such as shopping on south granville - why pay at the meter when its free a block or two over - maybe its a 2 hour limit but go one more block and you can park all day if you wanted

same goes for west 4th, kerrisdale etc - prime areas you pay - go a block or two further and no pay stay all day

thats what will happen along the canada line - as it is now most of those areas do not have any signs like a lot of areas that say "residents only" or "permit holders only" or "2 hour limit" etc

was just on cambie a couple weeks ago and ob block off parallel to cambie they have a street with metres for pay parking but go a few feet to a side street and there is no signage or limit in place

so in short this change will be better for the residents if they want a good spot close to home

[metroXpress]

Photo updates by Tafryn on Canada Line Blogspot:


MARINE DRIVE STATION












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North Arm Bridge













More photos: http://canadalinephotos.blogspot.com

[Metro-One]

Thanks for the pics!

I can't see cars coming from both directions on 16th unless I actually drive halfway into the street blindly. We have sent letters to the city, but so far they have ignored them...

Japan has a solution for that as well, many of the tight or blind intersections have those big curved mirrors in them you so you can see the whole intersection. another feature i wish we would adopt.

[LeftCoaster]

There are a ton of those in my neighbourhood (thin windy hilly road) and you see them a lot on downtown underground parking lots... especially those emptying onto sidewalks. Have you never seen those around town? They are even on some sharp corners with poor visibility.