(file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Managing parking

Firm introduces recommendations to improve city parking

Sep 12, 2019 | 12:29 PM

Residents had an opportunity to see proposed solutions to improve parking in downtown North Battleford at an open house at the library.

Crosby, Hanna & Associates presented its proposal as part of its Parking Management Strategy. The plan includes courier delivery zones to how the city can manage parking more effectively.

Full details on the proposal are still being finalized.

The firm’s community planning manager Leanne DeLong said they met with stakeholders, downtown business owners and some residents since the study started in the spring. Input was also gathered from the public at an open house and they will accept feedback until Sept. 20.

This is one of several ideas being recommended to improve parking. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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City Planner Ryan Mackrell said the study should help resolve some issues related to downtown parking.

“We had a lot of enquiries from the public about parking downtown, so we wanted to bring in an outside firm to take a look at that,” he said. “They provided us with some recommendations we are going to bring to city council, and hopefully start implementing to improve things.”

Current street parking downtown has a two-hour limit during weekdays until 5 p.m. The city provides two-hour free parking in designated stalls in several parking lots downtown, too.

One of the proposals is to offer three- to five-hour free parking for some street parking and city parking lots farthest within downtown.

The city will start to charge at its new parking lot beside the Capital Theatre Annex in October. The lot is free to use after 5 p.m. on weekdays and weekends. People can use their debit or credit cards to pay the $1 per hour or $5 per day fee.

“During the day it provides an opportunity for people to park longer than two hours,” Mackrell said. “Downtown, most of our parking is two hours. If you need a longer stay you can pay for it at $1 per hour.”

The city is looking at a way to offer free parking to those attending matinee shows during weekdays as well.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @OCoureurDesBois