North Battleford to replace parking machines with pay-by-phone system downtown

“The beauty of it is we won’t have numbered stalls. Park where you find a spot,” Pena said.

“If you park for the whole day and you go for lunch, and when you come back, you can park at a different spot as long as it’s available.”

Drivers who need more time will also be able to renew their parking without returning to their vehicles.

“If they have, for example, paid for four hours and they are in the middle of a meeting or errands, they will receive a notification from the provider saying if just to remind them that the parking time is about to expire,” she explained.

“If they wish to renew it, they can just be renewed over with their cell phone from where they are. They don’t need to go back to the vehicle and scan the QR code again.”

Council approved parking rates of $2.50 for up to two hours, $4 for two to four hours, $7 for all-day parking, $30 for one week and $96 for one month. The changes apply only to the city’s paid parking lot and do not affect the existing two-hour free on-street parking downtown.

No implementation date has been announced. Pena said administration will need time to install new signs and remove the existing parking machines before the new system becomes operational.

The new system prompted questions from Coun. Kent Lindgren, who said it could create barriers for residents who do not have smartphones, internet access or electronic payment methods.

“I do think there’s some inherent challenges with that,” Lindgren said.

Pena acknowledged the concern.

“We’re conscious that the biggest disadvantage is that people will need to have a cell phone and a credit card or debit card to use the system, but we can monitor how it goes and come back to council with any feedback from the residents.”

Council directed administration to report back in six months on how the system is working.

Council also approved updates to the city’s on-street parking restrictions for the first time since 2017, saying the changes are intended to help road crews complete street sweeping, snow removal, pothole repairs and other maintenance more efficiently.

The revised parking map also reflects new neighbourhoods and changes to the city’s road network since the last update.

Director of Operations Stewart Schafer said the current layout can force crews to move between different parts of the city instead of finishing work in one area.

“Currently, in some places in the city, we start cleaning at the north end and have to stop. And after we’re finished and go down to the south end,” Schafer said.

“What we wish to do is to combine these areas together so that the efficiency we can work on one area and not drive all over the place.”

Schafer said most residents will not notice any difference.

“We plan… to contact each resident, give them a letter, just basically saying we’re changing your parking zone,” he said.

He added that “I’ll say 95 per cent of the city won’t see anything because there is no changes to their system.”

Administration said affected residents will be notified before the revised parking restrictions take effect, with updated maps and information to be posted through the city’s communication channels.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

North Battleford to replace parking machines with pay-by-phone system downtown

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