Ali Howat, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
The future of paid parking has yet to be determined as the pilot project ended last week.
On Oct. 12, the municipality鈥檚 operations department began taking signs down.
During the previous council鈥檚 final committee meeting on the same day, an update was provided on the pilot project that had been ongoing throughout the summer season.
Throughout the entirety of the project, 21,323 tap payments were made on the street and 61 payments were made at the municipality鈥檚 administration office.
As well, 184 senior passes were purchased along with 240 resident passes.
Through the entire pilot project, only 30 tickets were issued. Tickets were only given out after a previous warning was given.
A total number of 2,389 warnings were issued.
鈥淭he program had a very low ticket-to-payment ratio and also a very low ticket-to-warning ratio,鈥� said CAO Bill Given during the meeting.
The revenue to the municipality is $52,974 for the period, after materials, goods and supplies and commission are taken off.
Administration will collect further feedback from the stakeholder committee as well as the community through a resident survey.
The intention was to survey residents before the initiation of the program to get their sentiment and their concerns and to survey residents after to see if any of their concerns or issues have changed.
Administration will be compiling a complete final report in the next few weeks that has all of the detailed data as well as go forward with recommendations.
鈥淲e will be bringing that to the next council before the end of the year for their consideration,鈥� Given said.
Now that the pilot program has concluded, data has been gathered that will allow administration, council and the community to assess the viability of paid parking and refinements that need to be made to paid parking.
Information on surveys for resident and visitor feedback will be posted in early November.
