(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)
January 28, 2015 - 7:29 PM
VERNON - There are several opportunities to park downtown Vernon without plugging the meter over the next few months.
At the request of the Downtown Vernon Association, council approved free parking on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 12-3 p.m. for the Winter Carnival Chili Cook-Off event.
The association also requested free parking on Feb. 21, May 23, and Sept. 19 in support of its Shop Local—Shop at Home initiative.
“I think it’s really important that we support small local businesses. I think downtown Vernon has a really good mix of that, so anything we can do to support the concept, I think it’s important,” Coun. Juliette Cunningham said.
The city will take an approximate hit of $11,925 in lost revenue from the three days of free parking alone. At an average revenue of $3, 575 per day, it isn’t cheap for the city to offer free parking, which it also provides during the Sunshine festival, Christmas Festival of Traditions and Christmas Season Saturdays.
Meanwhile, the city is moving forward with a plan to help connect drivers with places to park and visit downtown. The Wayfinding project, which will see directional signage installed for parking lots, shopping amenities, civic facilities and parks, is hoped to come online this summer.
“It’s not going to solve parking issues, but what it does is it will tell people where the parking is available and that’s something I don’t think we’ve ever had,” Coun. Catherine Lord said.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015