A North Vancouver auto mechanic is warning that a proposed shift to pay parking in his neighbourhood could put him out of business.
Dennis Krangle has operated Krangle Automotive in the 300 block of East Esplanade for 29 years.
The area is zoned for light industrial and commercial use, which has historically included free street parking, something he says is necessary for a business that requires people to drop their cars off for repair — often overnight or on weekends.
“If a car breaks down overnight and we are closed, they’ll tow it in and we will try to get to it the next day. If it’s on a Friday, well, we’ve had the luxury of being able to close for Saturday or Sunday,” he said.
“With the new parking going to be instituted the way they are telling us, it sounds like it would be towed and ticketed before we even have an opportunity to look at it on Monday.”
Starting next fall, the city is implementing the first phase of its new “Curb Access & Parking Plan,” which it says is necessary to free up parking spaces amid growing demand.
Under the changes, East Esplanade and several other streets in the area will become a pay parking zone. The first half hour would be free, followed by $1 for the second half hour then $3 an hour and $2 in the evening.
Global News reached out to the City of North Vancouver, but no one was available for an interview.
The change comes as North Vancouver’s Lower Lonsdale area booms. Krangle’s stretch of East Esplanade has grown in recent years to include multiple breweries and other retail-focused businesses.
Enrico Bovero with Braggot Brewing said he’s neutral about the changes, but understands how there could be strong feelings on both sides.
“I think businesses that require parking for themselves and their customers will be against, and people who have a faster flux of customers, say they want them to come and go within 15, 30 minutes will be in favour,” he said.
“I guess it’s hard to keep everybody happy.”
But Krangle said the issue isn’t about whether he’s happy with the changes, it’s whether he can stay in business if people can’t drop their vehicles off at his shop.
“That’s what people do all over the Lower Mainland. Unfortunately, without parking availability, we can’t physically run a business,” he said.
“This was part of our licence. We had to have parking for licence, and this is what they are taking away now.”
Krangle said he’s now talking with neighbouring businesses who also oppose the change, with the goal of forming an association in the industrial area to fight back.