Media Release
HRM Strategy To Enhance Short Term Parking in Downtowns
(Tuesday, July 13, 2004) HRM Regional Council will be considering proposed changes to the use of parking meters in downtown Halifax and Dartmouth. The emphasis of the applicable staff report will be on improving user convenience and satisfaction.
To provide for improved customer convenience and to offer discounted parking rates, parking cards will be implemented as part of the by-law amendment recommendation. The card will avoid the problem of needing change to park in the downtowns. It is planned that these cards may become a broader "smart" card for use with other HRM services in the future.
In addition, staff are recommending that the current Parking Meter By-Law be revised to remove the clause that penalizes parkers for parking at a broken meter. Currently, a ticket is issued to a parker at a broken meter. The recommendation is for broken meters to revert to timed parking based on the assigned parking meter time duration.
As part of these proposals, staff will be recommending a new hourly rate for downtown Halifax of $1.50, an increase of $0.50 per hour, and in Dartmouth, the rate will increase from $0.75 to $1.00 per hour. This is the first rate increase in over 14 years.
The increase, if approved, will contribute to the effectiveness of parking meters in controlling on-street short term parking in busy areas by bringing the rates more in line with off-street parking rates which are on average $1.84 per hour in HRM. When parking meter rates are substantially below off-street rates, the on-street metered spaces become more attractive to long-term parkers thus defeating the concept of generating parking turnover for short term users.
These recommendations are part of a Parking Management Strategy that is consistent with the goals and objectives of the HRM Regional Plan including the goal to optimize the supply and efficient use of casual parking in the Capital District and to manage commuter parking as an integral element of the management of the transportation system as a whole.
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Contact:
Catherine Sanderson
Manager of Revenue
Financial Services
490-6470
