Parking rate changes are coming to the downtown core, the City of Kelowna announced on Friday.
Citing a busy and vibrant downtown core, with more people than ever before flowing into the area, the city said it is taking steps to improve short-term parking availability for visitors.
The parking rate changes, which will start this weekend, are part of the updated downtown area parking plan, which was approved by city council in July 2019 and developed over a two-year period.
Further changes will be implemented throughout 2019.
“Starting this upcoming weekend, city crews will start implementing changes to downtown parking by installing updated signage and re-programming equipment,” said city parking service manager Dave Duncan.
“We ask the public to ensure they check signage and messaging on pay stations when parking downtown.”
WATCH BELOW (March 19, 2019): Changes coming to parking in downtown Kelowna
The first change will occur to on-street stalls located near the waterfront, or what the city calls Zone A. In this zone, new seasonal rates will be implemented, and pay parking hours will be extended until 9 p.m.
Further, the city noted that pay parking hours will be reduced at the Chapman, Library and Memorial parkades, and on-street parking time restrictions will increase from two hours to three hours.
“Our intent with these changes is to improve availability of short-term parking and ensure the parking system is paid for by those who use it rather than by general taxation,” said Duncan.
“Although rates and pay parking hours will increase in some on-street areas, the increase in no-charge parking hours at all three downtown parkades will help balance this change.”
The city said offering more no-charge parking hours at parkades will help shift longer-term parkers away from on-street stalls, adding parkades are typically underutilized during evenings and weekends.
For more about parking availability in Kelowna, click here.