Port Moody residents and visitors will soon be paying to park their vehicles in some parts of the city.
But not as soon as originally anticipated.
On Tuesday, July 9, council gave its final approval to implement pay parking at five locations around Port Moody:
- Rocky Point Park
- Morrisey Road, Suter Brook Way and a small section of Capilano Road in Suter Brook Village
- Esplanade Avenue, from Rocky Point Park to Murray Street
- Murray Street, from Columbia to Williams streets
- Ungless Way, from Noons Creek Drive to Guildford Way
While pay stations were originally expected to be in place in August, Jeff Moi, Port Moody’s general manager of engineering and operations, said “some small delays” have pushed that into September.
He said signs will be posted in the affected areas well in advance advising motorists of the new rules and changes.
A report presented to council last April said the new parking fees for about 400 city-owned spots will generate approximately $550,000 in gross revenue. But operational and enforcement costs, including the hiring of a technician to deal with customer service requests and complaints, will eat all but $85,000 to $200,000 of that.
The parking charges range from $1.50 an hour in the off-season from September to May at Rocky Point Park, Esplanade Avenue and Murray Street to $2.50 an hour from June to August at the same locations.
They’ll be in effect from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. from June to August and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the year.
On Ungless Way and affected locations in Suter Brook Village, the parking charge will be $2.25 an hour year round from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The maximum parking duration will be four hours at all locations except those in Suter Brook Village, where it will be two hours.
In April, project manager Sandy Tolentino told council payment will be collected at 15 or 16 standalone pay stations that accept credit or debit cards, as well as through mobile phone wallets, but not cash. The city may also opt to implement a downloadable mobile app or QR code option.
City staff displaying a valid pass, veterans with a valid veterans license plate and drivers with a valid accessible parking permit parked in a marked accessible stall, as well as recipients of Port Moody’s Freedom of the City award, won’t have to pay.
Not all councillors are pleased about the new rules, that have been a hot potato issue in the city for years.
Coun. Haven Lurbiecki, who was the only councillor to vote against pay parking, said the new charges in Rocky Point Park and neighbouring streets amount to the “monetization of park access in our community.”
But Tolentino said they’re necessary to encourage the turnover of spaces so they can be used by more visitors through the day, especially during the busy summer months at the park.
