Squamish council have agreed to prioritize the implementation of a paid-parking pilot project at a number of tourism-based locations around town.
While the exact locations are yet to be confirmed, the pilot will launch in the summer of 2025.
The decision to move forward with paid parking at tourism hot spots means that paid parking downtown will be pushed back until 2027.
At the Dec. 10 committee of the whole meeting, council was asked to support the prioritization of one of two paid parking implementations.
“There are two options that have been identified by staff. The first option is to prioritize implementation of a pilot tourism-based paid parking project, and this could be implemented as early as summer of 2025,” District manager of transportation, Brent McMurtry said.
“The second option is to prioritize advancing paid parking downtown, with the goal of having paid parking operational by the summer of 2026.”
Both staff and council supported the tourism-based pilot as a way to gather data surrounding revenue and expenses, and information around preferred payment methods used by people accessing the parking area.
McMurtry said this information will be considered as future paid parking locations are advanced in the downtown area.
He also said council members will have a further opportunity to direct staff prior to advancing towards implementation.
Community survey
While council supported prioritizing the tourism-based pilot, no official decisions will be made until a community survey launched by the District wraps up in January 2025.
In early 2025, District staff will present the community input to the council and seek direction on the next steps.
“The locations that we are currently seeking feedback from the community on include land that is owned by the District and is currently used for parking at recreational and tourism locations,” McMurtry said.
These locations include Darrell Bay, the Squamish Adventure Centre, Smoke Bluffs parking lot, Perth Drive trailhead area, the north end of Tantalus Road, Mamquam Dike access west of Government Road near the Public Works Yard and Fisherman's Park.
“We recently launched an engagement campaign which aims to gather feedback from the public and business on proposed parking regulation changes downtown and at tourism based locations,” McMurtry said.
“Staff are scheduled to return to council in early 2025 to report on public feedback, present draft recommendations from the PPMIP [Phased Parking Management Implementation Plan], and confirm direction on the next steps in advancing.”
Council comments
Mayor Armand Hurford said implementing paid parking at tourism-based locations would ensure that paid parking downtown would be implemented in the “most intentional” way possible.
“I think it's important that paid-parking advances, as we all know, parking facilities have a cost associated with them,” he said.
“We're also hearing from our community that they're not entirely satisfied with how those are performing. So I think it's important that we bring in-demand tools that will help us manage the demand there and, ultimately, how these facilities function
“When it happens downtown, [we want to make sure] that it happens in the most intentional, well thought out, well researched and well-executed way possible, and I think this approach here does equip us for that to be the case.”
Hurford also said his support of this direction towards tourism-based paid parking will hinge on the discussions around the specific locations.
“Every piece of our community does deserve the utmost thoughtful attention, and I want to make sure that happens when we get to the site selection as well because there's complexities everywhere that we look,” he said.
Coun. Chris Pettingill had concerns over paid parking becoming an election issue.
“It is an important topic, but we have many, many very critical topics, and I would hate for our community to make this the next sort of sole community discussion, and so I think this is a way to manage a rollout in a way that's maybe more palatable to people,” he said.
“I think if we want our community to come along and actually see the benefits of what these things offer, we have, in my opinion, some work to do in helping people understand the actual advantages to the community.”
He also had concerns over setting a public expectation that “the public, or Squamish citizens, should be able to park anywhere for free as long as they want, and it's just tourists that should pay.”
Coun. Andrew Hamilton said his personal preference was to implement paid parking “everywhere, all at once.”
“But I recognize that may be an impatient approach that is difficult to implement,” he said.
“I would have a slight preference towards having the downtown go first because I think that that's where we really need to be driving the change in our community, not in the tourism side of things.”
He asked if staff could consider adding Cleveland Avenue, between Winnipeg Street and Main Street, as a possible tourist location.
Councillors Eric Anderson and Lauren Greenlaw both supported the idea of adding free 15-minute parking spots outside service buildings like pharmacies and the postal office.
At the Dec. 17 regular council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to support prioritizing the paid-parking pilot project being implemented at a number of tourism-based locations.
Coun. Jenna Stoner was absent for the vote.
For more information on the paid-parking pilot project or to take part in the community survey, visit the District of Squamish website.
