Downtown meter rates to increase March 1

Parking Meter

Parking in downtown Vancouver and Uptown Village is about to get a bit more expensive.

Starting March 1, the hourly parking rate at existing downtown pay stations will increase from $.50/hour to $1.25/hour. Older coin-only parking meters will remain $.50/hour until they are replaced with new $1.25/hour pay stations, beginning this spring. New pay stations will not have the free 20-minute button.

According to the City, the rate changes are necessary to make the parking program sustainable. Currently, Vancouver’s Parking Services Division receives approximately $1.25 million from the City’s general fund.

The increase will also help lower maintenance and operational costs, while encouraging private investment in the development of additional downtown parking garages, officials said.

“Now more than ever, it is important for the city to manage our parking assets to maximize parking availability and position ourselves in the overall parking market to increase the potential for development of additional parking, whether privately or through public/private partnerships,” Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes said, in an article from September about pending rate changes.

Holmes was given the authority to adjust parking rates by the city’s Parking Advisory Committee (PAC), which consists of downtown residents, business owners and stakeholders.

“In the end, we want to support the excellent things going on downtown, while assuring great customer service to our parking customers,” he added.

New pay stations will accept coins and credit or debit cards. Additionally, later this year, the city is looking to bring a mobile parking payment app option to more areas of downtown.

On-street parking will continue to be free after 6 p.m. on weekdays, all day on weekends and on holidays.

This is the first parking rate increase in downtown Vancouver since 2009.

Vancouvercenter changes

Parking rates will also increase at the Vancouvercenter Park ‘n Go garage on West Sixth Street.

Beginning March 1, rates will be as follows:

  • $1.25/hour, Monday-Friday
  • Daytime until 6 p.m.: $9
  • 6 p.m. to close: $3.50
  • Full day: $12.50
  • Weekends: $3.50 for the full day

Uptown Village

In coordination with the Uptown Village Association, the City will begin installing coin-only parking meters ($.50/hour) in certain congested areas of Uptown Village, including Main Street.

The City will also begin conducting active parking enforcement in Uptown Village at the same time.

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