On the advice of its transit and environment committees, Ottawa city council has postponed implementation of controversial new parking regulations until March 1.
Last week, transportation committee chair Maria McRae announced she would bring the issue to the next transportation committee meeting Feb. 6 and allow city staff to draft a report on the impact of the new regulations.
“Council is agreeing that we’ve made a mistake on this issue,” she said.
“It certainly is an issue that affected the local area but had huge ramifications.”
Changes introduced in the 2008 budget include raising the hourly rate from $2.50 to $3, charging for evening and weekend parking and introducing new meters to some areas.
“This isn’t something that’s inconsistent with what we’ve done in other parts of the city,” said Gloucester-South Nepean Ward Coun. Steve Desroches, who supported the changes during the budget process.
“As the city grows, this is how we manage parking and traffic in the more densely populated parts of the city.”
Desroches insisted that part of the objective is to encourage some turnover in parking spaces, thereby helping businesses prevent employees from using the spaces otherwise available for customers.
Jasna Jennings, executive director of the Byward Market BIA, said myths about parking have always plagued downtown.
“It’s not that there is no parking, it’s that people don’t want to pay.”
She said the proposed changes would kill Ottawa’s downtown and drive customers away.
“Parking is supposed to be a service to aid and encourage business,” Jennings said.
“With these [changes], it is not helping. Parking won’t be required if nobody comes downtown.”
Downtown BIAs united to protest the changes in a public campaign of petitions placed in establishments across downtown and online.
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes was responsible for a circulating petition and voted against the fare raises in the last budget.
“The official plan talks about ‘revitalize the downtown’ and all these great statements but when it comes to budget time, it’s just a matter of trying to get more cash in the budget.”
Holmes said this is a “nail in the coffin” for the downtown – and some businesses owners agree.
After months of construction on Bank Street that hurt business at his Centretown sports shop, Jean Dextras said he feels city council is being selfish.
“I don’t know how these things are done but I don’t even think they expected a backlash,” said Dextras, owner of Elgin Sports Lifestyles at the corner of Bank and Albert streets.
“I don’t think they think about us very much. I think they don’t look at the big picture.”
Jonathan Hatchell, vice-president of operations and business development for Royal Oak Pubs, which owns four restaurants that would be affected by new parking rules. He called the parking hike an easy fix and said city council gave little thought to the plan.
“When you go out to a restaurant do you stay for less than one hour? If you are going to church is a service less than one hour? They didn’t think it through,” he said.
Desroches admitted the proposal isn’t perfect yet.
“I think there is some fine tuning that needs to be done,” he said. “Possibly look at exemptions for Sundays given church feedback.”
Rev. Lindsay Harrison, of St. Patrick’s Basilica on Nepean Street, said many people drive to the church from suburban areas and would have second thoughts given the changes.
“It’s easier to go to a church in suburban areas,” he said. “This is the church they want to come to.”
Rev. Doug Kendall, of Knox Presbyterian Church on Lisgar Street, is another downtown minister worried about the changes.
“We have committees, meetings, all kinds of community groups,” Kendall said. “We do an Out of the Cold program which is a dinner for those in need. Volunteers come in to set up Saturdays and on Friday nights. The majority of them drive.”