Denley: City shouldn’t kill ByWard Market’s free on-street parking

The possibility of paid parking changes may be coming to the ByWard Market, and various areas around Ottawa. Photo by Ashley Fraser /PostmediaArticle content

For years, the good people at Ottawa City Hall have wrung their hands over the decline of the ByWard Market, making plans for a fanciful future while in reality the Market’s situation steadily worsens.

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Doing nothing is one thing, but now councillors are being advised to make things even more challenging for businesses in the Market. Thursday, councillors will consider a staff recommendation to eliminate free on-street parking on evenings and Sundays in the Market and some other shopping areas.

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The city says it wants more people to come to the Market, but how will charging more for parking produce that result?

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Here’s the city’s explanation. “The data showed that in several paid areas of the city, parking demand was high at different times, including evenings and weekends when there is currently no paid parking. This suggests a lack of available parking, which has negative implications on businesses and the community as a whole.”

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Let’s break that down. Heavily utilized free parking might seem like a good thing for businesses, but no, it’s actually bad. According to city staff’s thinking, making people pay for parking and then compelling them to leave the spot in two hours is a great way to encourage more people to come to the Market.

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Some might argue that two hours is a bit of a rush. What if people wanted to look around at stores and then go out to dinner? Or even if they wanted to linger over their dinner, maybe have a drink and talk to friends? These activities are discouraged by the two-hour parking limit. You’re to have your fun and move along as quickly as possible so another person can take your place. What do people think this is, Europe?

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City staff envision that this brilliant new strategy will make more parking spaces available.

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“The purpose of paid parking is to encourage turnover, which has the effect of making more parking available at any given point in time. This has the potential for a number of benefits,” the staff report says.

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“For example, visitors will have more choices and experience less frustration when trying to find parking at busier times. There will also be more available convenient parking for those with accessibility issues. More available parking will also lead to less ‘cruising’ for parking which reduces traffic and the resulting impacts.”

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That assessment is at least partly correct. Parking spots will be easier to find because the new charges and time limits will deter people from coming to the Market or other affected areas including the Glebe and Little Italy.