Year-round pay parking could soon come to one of Vancouver’s most popular beaches.
The Vancouver Park Board is slated to debate the possibility of adding pay parking to public parking at Spanish Banks at its Monday meeting.
Parks commissioner Tom Digby said the city was looking at a “small, reasonable charge that’s not excessive.”
“We are looking at that on whether it is a reasonable solution,” he told Global News.
“It is the only free place for city parking and people may say, ‘Shouldn’t we keep that privilege?’ But the city has asked us to increase our revenues, the system for running the parks is very expensive, so we’re looking at that carefully.”
City staff are recommending the fees to improve accessibility and reduce traffic impacts in the neighbourhood while improving pedestrian safety and vehicle security and generating revenue.
If approved, the change would take effect in July, at a rate of $1 per hour during the summer and a reduced fee during the off-season.
The city estimates parking would generate about $70,000 per year in revenue.