The way motorists pay for parking in downtown Saskatoon and other commercial areas is changing.
The city is doing away with meters and opting for pay stations, and is also hoping that a plan to remove the lines that define parking spaces will also result in more places to park.
"Without painting the stalls, you can fit more cars in there with efficient parking. So we're going to try that out and see how it works," said Angela Gardiner of the city’s transportation branch.
As a test project the city will no longer paint lines for parallel and angle parking spaces downtown, an area of the city where parking is often at a premium. Other cities have done it, but at least one city councillor is voicing concerns.
“I know it's been passed in June and I expressed my concerns then, and I will express them again,” said Coun. Ann Iwanchuk. “I just don't see this working here.”
Iwanchuck points out large trucks and SUVs are popular in Saskatchewan, and people may be hesitant to park close to other vehicles to save space. The city and business partnerships say the plan is just a trial and will be reviewed after one year.
"It’s not going to be the end of the world,” said Sarah Marchildon of the Broadway Business Improvement District. “And we can be proven wrong -- I and administration can be proven wrong -- and we can still paint lines on the road later.”
The plan also sees the expansion of paid parking in the Riversdale and Sutherland business areas.
The new system using pay stations instead of individual meters provides more payment methods, and lets drivers relocate to other areas without losing time as it's tied to the license plate number, not a particular stall.
One concern is each pay station could be as much as 50 metres apart, making it difficult for those with disabilities to reach them.
“As we move forward with the comprehensive parking study, we will be looking for additional convenience features for disabled people,” Gardiner said.
The pay stations will begin appearing on city streets during the next several months. Once the system has been paid for the city expects a net revenue gain of $1.3 million a year.
