A steady stream of parking complaints has prompted a Red Deer city councillor to call for a Strategic Downtown Parking Plan.
Bruce Buruma proposed a notice of motion this week calling for an ad hoc committee to develop a parking plan with recommendations to improve accessibility, promote and incentivize downtown parking and prioritize "ease of use and a seamless parking experience."
Buruma also wants to see recommendations on how to "optimize the use of public and private parking assets, including the Sorenson Station Parkade" and a review of parking enforcement practices to "balance compliance with a positive, ambassadorial approach to downtown visitors."
City councillors routinely get complaints about the downtown parking system introduced in September 2023 and funded by a provincial grant. Parking meters were eliminated in favour of payment methods using either the HotSpot app, a QR code, or pay stations, which includes credit card payment options using on-street kiosks or payment through an app.
"There have been citizen concerns with regard to the parking system," said Buruma in an interview. "We've heard from businesses as well with the parking system potentially being one of the reasons why there isn't as much patronage with businesses downtown.
"I think if we take a look at complaints that councillors are getting and just some of the sentiments around the community, the paid parking system, I think, is not necessarily meeting the needs and supporting a really vibrant downtown."
In a staff report to council last month, free parking for seniors and reducing the hours for paid parking have been identified as possible considerations to improve the downtown parking system.
Other initiatives identified by administration included offering free parking to disabled placard holders, expanding the residential parking program into the parking app, and the use of promo codes for downtown events.
But administration said any initiative would require further exploration into operational and financial impacts and stakeholder consultation.
Some drivers used to coin-fed meters of the past struggle with the card or app systems, he said.
"After people get frustrated, they are not prepared to patronize the downtown."
The Downtown Business Association has confirmed that it is getting feedback from people that the parking system is scaring away shoppers.
"The way I look at it is, you don't have a second chance at making a first impression."
Council will discuss the notice of motion at its June 9 meeting, when it will be determined if there is enough support to go ahead with a committee or take some other action.
Buruma's motion calls for more financial details to "support prudent, data-informed business decisions" and a report on "key performance indicators and usage targets for downtown parking, informed by smart data, citizen feedback, and engagement with businesses."
"If we're going to make decisions around parking it's important we have a comprehensive and consolidated financial statement with regards to the financial position and whether it's worth the investment in the parking system or whether there need to be some modifications or review around that," he added in the interview.
He also wants information on how provincial funding and other contractual obligations could have an impact on whether to go ahead with continuing, dropping or modifying the parking system.
With a complete financial picture, a committee could see if there is a business case that could be built around a certain parking option, he added.
Buruma has asked that parking financial details be provided by the fall and he would like to see a committee formed soon after.
Based on public comments, several changes to improve the system have been made, or will be, including business supports, sign modifications, added and relocated pay stations, and changes to the app.
Based on user feedback and pay station utilization rates, two existing pay stations were relocated to higher demand locations in October 2024, and seven additional pay stations will be added this spring.
