Council approves user-pay parking for one year trial period

October 25, 1999
Source: Digital Banff news service

TOWN OF BANFF NEWS RELEASE - In an effort to put the brakes on Banff’s growing traffic congestion problem, Banff Town Council voted to implement userr-pay parking for a one year trial peiod today. The user-pay parking system is scheduled to begin operation in spring 2000 and will apply to on and off-street parking in downtown Banff.

“There are three main reasons why we’ve chosen to move forward with user-pay parking,” says Banff Mayor Dennis Shuler. “One -- it is part of a comprehensive plan to reduce traffic and parking congestion in downtown Banff. Two -- it reduces energy consumption and air pollution because it encourages people to walk, bike and carpool. Three -- the monies generated from user-pay parking can be used to pay for long-term goals such as improved public transit, intercept lots, walking trails, etc.”

Council will review the effectiveness of the user-pay parking system one year after its implementation. “All the data we’ve reviewed says that this system works elsewhere.,” says Mayor Shuler. “But we need to know if it works in Banff. That’s why we’re committed to a full review after one year. Part of that review will be to hold a plebiscite on user-pay parking in May 2001.”

The decision to implement user-pay parking is part of an integrated transportation plan deigned to improve the quality of experience in Banff’s downtown core.

Banff residents and those choosing to carpool will get a break under the plan. Residents will receive a pass for two hours of free off-street parking per day. Carpool (two or more people per vehicle) passes will also be free.

Banff will use a Pay & Display parking system. Pay & Display machines dispense vouchers to be placed on parked vehicles. Payment can be made in Canadian or Amercan funds or by credit carde. The Pay & Display machines will be solar-powered with electrical back-up.

User-pay parking will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Rates will be $1 per hour on-street, $0.75 per hour for surface lots and $0.50 per hour in the Bear Street Parkade. Monthly parking permits will be available for $30 to $50, depending on the parking facility chosen.

An estimated 37 percent of Banff’s public parking spaces are used by 6 percent of the parkers. It is assumed that these parkers are Banff residents working downtown and Canmore commuters. It is projected that many of these parkers will shift to private pay parking facilities following the implementation of user-pay parking, freeing public parking spaces for visitors and short-term parkers. There are over 400 private parking stalls in downtown Banff.

“By making better use of private parking facilities and by encouraging walking and biking, we can delay the construction of another parkade,” says Mayor Shuler.”At an approximate construction cost of $4 million, that’s a goal worth pursuing.”

By Council motion, all net revenue from the user-pay parking system will be held in a transportation reserve fund, to be used to pay for future transporation initiatives.

The decision to move forward with user-pay parking was aproved by a 4 to 3 vote, with Mayor Shuler and Councillors Rogers, Olver and Newman voting in favor. Councillors Haney, Stutz and Carmody voted against the implementation of the plan.

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