Is paid parking making a comeback in downtown Stoney Creek?

Discussions over paid parking have resumed in downtown Stoney Creek, more than a decade after an unpopular decision to bring parking meters to King Street West was reversed.

This time, debate is focused on a municipal parking lot behind the Royal Canadian Legion, Battlefield Branch 622, where parking is currently free for a maximum of two hours.

Preliminary discussions with the city to convert the lot, known as Lot 3, into a paid parking lot, have begun, according to Tracy MacKinnon, executive director of the Stoney Creek Business Improvement Area.

But if an April 6 virtual BIA meeting is any indication, paid parking appears to be just as unpopular with area businesses and stakeholders today as it was in 2010.

While acknowledging the city-owned parking lot could be facing repair and maintenance costs in excess of $150,000, MacKinnon said Stoney's Creek's downtown area shouldn't be compared to other Hamilton BIAs that already have paid parking.

Different areas have different parking availability and Stoney Creek does not have the same availability," said MacKinnon.

Patti Hall, executive director of the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce, echoed similar concerns: We think this something that is really detrimental to our downtown area."

Legion president Joyce Brown said members would quickly sign a petition against paid parking.

We are all volunteers, and we are all seniors on a limited income," Brown said. Two dollars an hour may not seem like a lot of money but I'm there 40 hours a week, so that's a lot."

John Grguric of Grguric Architects recalled his experiences in 2010 when the city installed parking meters that were later removed amid lower-than-expected revenues and business owners' complaints of lost customers.

Grguric said the availability of two-hour free parking was a main reason he decided he locate his office in Stoney Creek.

I have clients coming in and they rely on that two-hour free parking," he said.

Clients of a nearby medical centre also use Lot 3, meeting participants noted.

Mary Terziev-Clifford, owner of the Village Restaurant, worries paid parking could worsen an already tight parking supply. Although The Village has its own parking lot, demand for street parking, and spaces in private lots, could increase, she said.

We're going to have a problem for the people that have a (parking) lot, like me. It's going to be a huge hindrance," said Terziev-Clifford.

Ward 5 Coun. Russ Powers said the Hamilton Municipal Parking System reached out to him recently to indicate Lot 3 needs to be resurfaced at an estimated cost of $150,000. The city has the delegated authority to convert the lot to paid parking, if it chooses, said Powers.

But the councillor suggested now isn't the time, with businesses still recovering from the pandemic.

Personally, I think it's the wrong time to do it," said Powers. If the (city) itself wishes to revisit the area, then do it in a number of years when you've got a reestablished, vibrant downtown."

Brian Hollingworth, director of transportation planning and parking, said the Hamilton Municipal Parking System is a financially self-sustaining organization with an obligation to address areas that are out of balance with the organization's self-sustaining model.

In the case of Lot 3 in Stoney Creek, the lack of paid parking means that the lot operates at a financial loss given the need for regular maintenance and capital repairs. The idea of introducing paid parking would help offset ongoing operating and pending capital costs. Paid parking is also consistent with the city-wide parking master plan as it is an effective tool for managing parking."

Regular reviews of the lot have identified deficiencies in the pavement surface condition. In addition, requests have been made for improvements related to safety, Hollingworth noted.

Hollingworth confirmed the Hamilton Municipal Parking System has the delegated authority to change pricing in off-street lots. Council approval is only required for on-street parking price changes.

We are in the very early stages of identifying alternatives for Lot 3," said Hollingworth. Consultation with the BIA will occur once alternatives have been developed. No decision has been made to date on paid parking."

Hamilton's 2021 parking master plan notes there is a large supply" of free municipal off-street and on-street parking along King Street West, available for a two-hour duration. But the report also notes: Available parking opportunities are known to be limited during weekday business hours."

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We heard about new discussions regarding paid parking from the local chamber of commerce and wanted to find out more.