Kitchener reverses course on parking lot fee changes after residents speak up
The City of Kitchener is reversing course on some parking fees at one downtown lot after nearby condo residents spoke out against the change.
At a meeting Monday night, council agreed to reinstate free parking at the Bramm Street Yards after 5 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, as well as all day Sunday.
"We've agreed that if we took the parking fees back to where they were before Jan. 1, 2024, that should satisfy the expectations of the residents," said Ward 9 Councillor Debbie Chapman on Monday.
The same parking hours were free at the lot during the pandemic response due to funding from the province. The city, however, decided to resume parking fees in 2024.
In February, residents at the Garment Street condominium told CTV News the city went back to charging people and stated it was keeping visitors and shoppers away from the area.
“Our daughter, for instance, was having groups of friends over and they just decided instead they'll just meet at somebody else’s house,” explained Terry Sturtevant, one of the condominium residents.
She also argues the fee increase is bad for local businesses.
“If you're going to get takeout from a restaurant here where you have to pay while you go in to pick up your takeout or risk getting ticketed, or you can go a few blocks away and get takeout from a restaurant that has free parking, that's where you're going to go.”
Reaction from council
At Monday night's meeting, Ward 1 councillor Scott Davey said the city is in a surplus overall.
Parking, meanwhile, has a $1.6 million deficit.
"I think we are due for a review [to parking lot fee rules] because a lot of things are changing, both in the downtown and in the area of Grand River Hospital as well, which is really where we have a majority of our parking," explained Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. "The city can't be in the business of providing parking for the condos and residences that are getting built."
"I don’t know what’s going to come out of their review,” Chapman said Tuesday. “It could be that we still have three different schedules or it may come out that they decide to coordinate them better in a different way so people know what to expect."
What’s next
A review of the city's parking rate structure is set to take place this year and will return to council for further debate.
Sturtevant said if this results in having to pay at all downtown lots, that won’t be good for both condos and businesses.
“If the message the city wants to give people is that downtown is a good place to hang out, if everything has that friction, it's going to make it difficult,” she said. “Getting rid of evening and weekend free parking will affect all the downtown businesses and the downtown condos and stuff. So I think it will affect a much bigger group of people if that's what they decide to do.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Documents reveal Canada praised Haitian sanctioned over alleged gangland connections
A Canadian diplomat and an RCMP officer heaped praise and gratitude on a sanctioned Haitian businessman that Global Affairs accuses of gangland connections, after he allowed a helicopter airlift of Canadian citizens and police at his luxury golf course last month, emails provided by his lawyers suggest.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Minister said 'hundreds' of Canadians might use Gaza visa. More than 7,500 applied.
An immigration lawyer in Toronto says new figures from the federal government show just how 'grudging' Ottawa's efforts have been to rescue Canadians' family members from the war in the Gaza Strip.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.