Park and Pay takes effect at Rushbrook floats

Just in time for the sport fishing season and in a bid to gain some control over the parking situation on the eastern side of town at Rushbrook Floats, the city has begun to charge those that use that part of town for the use of the parking spaces in the area.

A parking meter was recently installed at the Parking lot entrance, making its debut on the scene about a month ago. Casual users can expect to pay $2.50 for four hours, and $5 a day for up to five days. For a vehicle and trailer the price doubles to $10 a day and $50 a week.

In order to make sure that the new regulations proceed in as smooth a transition as possible, the city hired Bill Keating as a casual bylaw officer/ambassador for the area, just to make sure that everyone is fully informed (and fully paid up we assume).

The Daily News featured the new regulations and the territory they cover in an article in Thursday’s paper.

NEW PAY-PARKING RULES FOR RUSHBROOK FLOATS AREA
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Page one

The city is now charging for parking at the Rushbrook Floats and along George Hills Way and Dry Dock Road.

The parking metre, which has been in place for more than a month, is now operational and a sign at the entrance notes visitors must pay for parking.

Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said they have hired Bill Keating as a casual by law enforcement officer and ambassador for the area to help implement the new pay parking.

“He will be assisting people in making the best use of that facility and making sure things flow as they should as well as introducing the new charges,” said Pond.

For casual users, the rates are $2.50 for four hours, and $5 a day for up to five days. For a vehicle and trailer the price doubles, to $10 a day and up to $50 for five days.

For a seasonal commercial pass (those with a business licence) for a resident, it is $150 for a vehicle and $300 for a vehicle and trailer.

For a non-resident for a seasonal commercial pass it is $250 for a vehicle and $500 for a vehicle and trailer.

For residents who aren’t operating a business, it is $100 for a vehicle and $200 for a vehicle and trailer and for a non-resident with a vehicle it is $150 and for a vehicle and trailer it is $300.

The seasonal pass covers from May 1 to Oct 31 and includes unlimited use of the launch site as well as parking for a vehicle and trailer.

The City has also changed the parking hours along George Hills Way and Dry Dock Road to a maximum two hour time limit to prevent boat trailers from spreading down the roadway instead of paying for parking.

Based on the studies done back in 2004, the city says the use of the area has increased dramatically in recent years and it estimates it can recover the cost of the kiosk in the first season.

While parking tickets were handed out last week. Pond said that people who have come into City Hall complaining they were not warned about the activation of the metre have had their tickets cancelled and the city has been using the opportunity to sell seasonal passes.

A 2003 survey noted around 100 cars a day parked in the Ruhsbrook parking lot throughout May and June.

The city is also currently undergoing a parking study. It has set up a committee, committed $28,500 and has hired a consultant to study parking options city-wide.

The Boulevard Transportation Group of Victoria has been studying parking in the downtown and Cow Bay areas.

The final report is due in mid August.

A parking meter at the ready

The fancy new parking meter for Rushbrook Floats is all set for action; all that seems to be required now is an idea as to how far the reach of the cash machine will be. City council has yet to decide if pay parking will stretch beyond the Rushbrook parking lot and up George Hills Way.

The rush to get things organized is on because the high numbers of out of town boaters are soon to arrive on the North coast for another season, leaving their trucks and trailers along the east side roads around Rushbrook and Canadian Fish.

It’s a controversial decision to be made, with a couple of large fish plants in the area, there could be a high number of shoreworkers caught up in the middle of the City’s parking bounty.

The issue was provided with some good coverage on Friday in the Daily News.

Spectre of parking meters prompts questions
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Friday, May 18, 2007
Page one

A parking meter has been installed at Rushbrook Floats but the city doesn't seem to know how far down George Hills Way it will be driving pay parking.

The yellow and blue-meter machine made its appearance down at the popular dock and boat launch a few weeks ago but it is not yet operational.

"I have had some inquiries with regards to shoreworkers that work down there, will they have to purchase a pass?" said Coun. Joy Thorkelson.

"And secondly, is there the ability for them to get preferential parking so they can get parking down there?"

She explained that boat trailers take so much room during the busy tourists season and at times, there is not room in the parking lot at the plants.

"They (plant workers) are probably the only people who have to have pay parking to have a parking spot."

Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond said he did not know how far the paid parking would extend.
A few weeks ago, city staff and politicians said the meter would only apply to the Rushbrook site itself. However, Douglas Jay, the city's corporate administrator said the latest plan involves putting paid parking all the way down to the Cow Bay bridge.

As a point of clarification, Coun. Tony Briglio noted other people in the city do pay for parking, such as those on Fulton (not that they have been able to access those spots for the past three months because the street has been blocked off for repairs.)

"It is an interesting point that this could mean employees who were previously parking for free may now have to pay for parking," said Pond.

The city has been planning to install pay parking at Rushbrook Floats for several years in order to generate revenue that would in turn be put back into the upkeep of the area.

However, vehicles and boat trailers launching at the site are also parked on George Hills Way during the season for long periods of time. The road is also used by people at the Prince Rupert yacht club.

At the same time, if the city decides to install pay parking all the way down George Hills Way, it would pre-empt the work being done by the city's parking committee and a parking consultant that has been hired to study the city's parking issues.

Thorkelson pointed out that shoreworkers were not too happy about the idea of having to pay for parking to subsidies that would benefit people in the sport fishing industry. City staff are expected to clarify their plans for the use of parking metres at the next city council meeting.

Rushbrook Parking fees set for May

The days of free parking at Rushbrook floats appear to be numbered, the long discussed and obsessed over plan, to charge for parking at the east end boat floats is set to be put in place in May.

From commercial fishing operators to charter boat operators and all that come in between, if you don't have a ticket you had best look for a new spot to leave the truck and trailer. The city plans to have hourly and daily rates posted by May, though they have not decided on what those rates may be yet.

Commercial fishing operators have been advised that a season's pass will set them back 150 dollars this year, increasing to 300 dollars in 2008.

The Daily broke down the details and examined some of the backlash that may come from the city's decision.

Parking fees for Rushbrook on horizon says Pond
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Pages one and three

The city plans to start charging for parking at Rushbrook Floats some time this May.
Although the city is yet to confirm the hourly and daily rates, commercial fishing operators have been informed they will have to spend $150 for seasonal passes once the system gets up and running.

“This is part of restoring sound financial management to the city,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.

“On that ‘to do’ list is bringing a bit more of a user-pay system down to that Rushbrook Floats area with the idea that we would be reinvesting that money into the upgrading and care for the area.”

According to Pond, when the city first broached the idea back in 2004, some of the charter boat operators asked for a few years to begin to reflect that charge in their fees to their clients.
This way, they did not have to absorb the cost personally, he said.

“That argument held sway but we were pretty clear at the time it was delaying not forgoing.
“This year, we are doing it and the intention is to put the money back in to the area. It’s not an overall tax grab,” said Pond.

The city will be installing a parking kiosk where people can purchase their tickets on an hourly, daily or seasonal basis and bylaw enforcement officers will monitor for compliance.

The seasonal pass for commercial operators covers from May 1 to Oct. 31 and includes unlimited use of the launch site as well as parking for a vehicle and trailer.

The city plans to increase the cost of a commercial permit to $300 in 2008.
While Pond admitted some people have questioned the decision, he said the reality is most recreational sites have user fees, including the swimming pool, ice rink and gymnasium.
Based on the studies done back in 2004, the city says the use of the area has increased dramatically in recent years and it estimates it can recover the cost of the kiosk in the first season.

As for vandalism to the kiosk, Pond said the machines are designed to handle it.
And the revenue is badly needed to improve the area.

“Prince Rupert’s become increasingly a destination for charter fishing. We are seeing explosive growth, particularly with people coming out from the Northeast,” said Pond. “However, the experience is becoming diminished as they find congestion in and around that area increasing ... and the facilities aren’t as good as they could be. By introducing the user fee, we intend to upgrade some of those things.”

The city is also currently undergoing a parking study. It has set up a committee, committed $15,000 and is seeking a consultant to study parking options city-wide.

Pond said the city is proceeding with the fees at Rushbrook in advance of the completion of the parking study, because this is something that simply needed to be done quickly.

However, the parking committee is free to comment on the issue and will be exploring related issues, such as parking in Cow Bay and in front of the yacht club.

A 2003 survey noted around 100 cars a day parked in the Rushbrook parking lot in May and June.

Back when the city proposed the plan, several councillors were adamant that locals should have reduced fees. However, that does not appear to have been worked out. Another unresolved issue is whether new fees will drive charter operators to the dock in Port Edward where there are no fees.

“I’m sure there will be some people who make that decision but I am quite confident that there will be a good number of users down there who are looking forward to the benefits a revenue stream will bring,” said Pond.