We asked city council candidates how they’d address parking concerns in the downtown core

The Revelstoke Mountaineer’s question and answer series with city council candidates covers a wide-variety of issues that are likely to be central to the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 20, 2018. The series features verbatim answers written by the candidates themselves.

 The questions were created by the Mountaineer’s civic affairs reporter Melissa Jameson and former Revelstoke Review editor Alex Cooper.

In this eighth edition of the Mountaineer’s question and answer series with city council candidates we asked council candidates to consider the following:

There have been concerns raised that the increasing number of businesses with patios and the introduction of bicycle parking is removing vehicle parking spots in the downtown core. This includes a concern over disabled parking spots disappearing in order to allow businesses to have patios. What do you think about the parking issue and how do you see it being resolved?

The following are the responses from the candidates who got back to us prior to our publication deadline.

Tim Palmer (candidate for council)

Tim Palmer is running for a seat on Revelstoke city council.

The business patios and increase bicycle parking are positive changes for our community.  Both increase Revelstoke’s famous vibrancy and atmosphere.  The City has done a reasonable job in balancing the disable parking by relocating and expanding the number of spots.  Further adjustments should be considered with input from stakeholders, including business, social services, residents and others

Some possible solutions that I have heard from the community:

• Continued encouragement of alternate transportation including cycling and walking will help reduce parking demands.
• Better wayfinding to the parking lots that are nearby.
• Reduce the 24-hour parking areas to 4 hours to encouraged business employees to park a little further away to free up parking for their customers.
• Survey businesses to determine if additional disabled parking is warranted.

Steve Kent (candidate for council)

Steve Kent is running for a seat on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Keri Knapp.

Admittedly, I live downtown and walk or ride my bike to most locations so I don’t often experience difficulties with parking.  Also, although I think it is important that we keep parking concerns in mind as we grow as a community, we needn’t focus on accommodating cars to the exclusion of other activities.  Restaurant patios create a vibrant atmosphere in the downtown core that is enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. Bicycle parking doesn’t have to remove vehicle spaces if they are located in “yellow zones” similar to the one across from city hall. Bicycles are not the problem.  They are part of the solution.

However, ensuring disabled access within the downtown core is a different concern and it is very important that there are enough parking spots to accommodate people with mobility issues.  This may well mean that some patios can’t be permitted in some locations, or it may mean that able-bodied people have to walk a block or two. Unfortunately, the luxury of consistently parking directly in front of the store you want to go to is one we may have to forego as we grow as a community.

Gary Sulz (candidate for mayor)

Gary Sulz is running for mayor in the upcoming Oct. 20 election. Photo: Gary Sulz.

Parking is an issue because as we grow there is a continuous stream of vehicles using the downtown core to access businesses.   As the City has brought in limited parking times in the downtown core, this has forced merchants and their staff to find alternatives for their daily parking.  The patios are a welcome sight, drawing people to enjoy the fresh air and sun.  However, with the increase in patios this draws down the number of vehicle spaces, forcing people to park further away from their destination and quite possibly parking in a residential area.  I do not believe that disabled parking spots have lessened, but they have been moved on Mackenzie from one end of the block to the other and quite possibly this may be advantageous for those needing to get to the banks or medical clinic.  The solution may lay in the increased use of public transportation, which in turn will dictate a reprogramming of bus routes or the increase of bicycle parking areas that don’t infringe on vehicular spaces.  Another alternative may be the need for a parking structure.  All great ideas, but what are the costs and what is desired within the community?

Tony Morabito (candidate for council)

Tony Morabito is running for a spot on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Tony Morabito.

I like the downtown patio’s especially ones not fenced in, but do have concerns with the ones that encroach on the street. Removing parking and disabled spots should not be allowed as far as I am concerned. The bicycle parking should be moved unto the sidewalk as there is generally enough room in most of the down core.

Steven Cross (candidate for council)

Steve Cross is running for a seat on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Steve Cross.

I don’t think there is any question we need more parking but I don’t think limiting patios is the way to ensure that. Patios give a life and a cache to our town that is important for both visitors and residents alike and they don’t impact that many parking spots. Bike parking is unlikely to impact parking space availability much either and one car spot can support 15 bike spots so that seems like a good trade to me for the spots we need.

I would like to look at adding more parking for RV’s, either along Victoria or elsewhere, so that the RV spots within the lot on First, which do not seem to be used much, could be reallocated to cars. That would be significant.

As our town grows we may need to look at other options too, such as a second floor of parking on some lots. Initiatives we take on sustainability could also help to alleviate the strain on parking. If we do what we can to foster more commercial development on First and Second over to Garden, that would serve to spread demand out more and that would help too.

Nicole Cherlet (candidate for council)

Nicole Cherlet is running for a seat on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Nicole Cherlet.

Parking is a symptom of the larger issue of transportation in our community.

If you work downtown, or want to bring your kids up to the hospital, the bus scheduling and routes make it impractical.

For those who work for lower wages, the need for a vehicle puts undue pressure on their budgets.

For the larger offices, this leads to a downtown full of staff vehicles and no room for our customers.

Disabled parking spots have been moved, but have not disappeared. There are ways to make our community more accessible and easier to navigate, and it has nothing to do with patios.

Our wayfinding needs to be updated so that visitors can find their way to the existing parking areas.

Our transit needs to be modernized so that it’s commuter friendly.

Our trail system needs to be completed and maintained so that bikes and pedestrians are off the main thoroughfares. Kids should be able to travel to school on their own steam without putting their safety at risk.

Jackie Rhind (candidate for council)

Jackie Rhind is running for a spot on Revestoke city council. Photo: Jackie Rhind

Disabled parking spots absolutely need to be maintained and there should be no compromise on this. Aside from the issue of accessibility for those who need it, I don’t see this as a pressing issue. Patios and bicycle parking are important and I believe they are a great use of space, especially considering we have many parking options available nearby. There is nothing wrong with encouraging people to walk downtown, especially in the summer. Ideally, the patios and bike parking should be temporary so that they can be taken down during the winter months when our city gets busier and when it becomes more important to have additional parking options available downtown. If the city mandates that all patios and bike parking be removable to some extent, and it maintains (or even increases) the number of disabled parking spots available, then I think that is a good solution.

Rob Elliot (candidate for council)

Rob Elliot is running for a spot on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Rob Elliot.

In the past fifteen years parking in the downtown core has been under assault. Diagonal parking elimination on both sides of Mackenzie Avenue was the first foray.  Plaza completion ended Roxy’s stalls. Alley parking went missing without a ceremony . Brick box construction on the corners of Mackenzie and 1^st took another few pipers. City Hall enhancement knocked down yet a few more. Amelioration of a summer market dispute required a Saturday Macparking sacrifice. Disabled space, bike stalls and patio proliferation are the latest assailants. I’m not a conspiracy theorist but a pedestrian primary strategy for Mackenzie Ave. seems to be unveiling.

Parkade creation next to the fire station/library or an agreement with CP to utilize some of their parking space might be the final revelation.

Peter Humphreys (candidate for council)

Peter Humphreys is running for a spot on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Peter Humphreys.

The additional patios have brought about a great vibe in the downtown core. I think it is a great idea and would advocate for more. Better utilization of the existing City parking lot and more parking enforcement is all that is needed. I used to be able to park in front the bank. Now I must walk 1 block. I’m not suffering.

Mike Brooks-Hill (candidate for council)

Michael Brooks-Hill is running for a seat on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Michael Brooks-Hill.

I feel that for a majority of people, this is not a priority.  The patios are popular with both locals and tourists.  The bicycle parking is accommodating a growing need.  Certainly I think more should be done to ensure that the disabled parking spaces are preserved, and adequate signage is displayed.  Confusing painting on the curbs next to city hall has not helped.  Personally I think that Mackenzie Ave. between 1^st and 2^nd should be closed to all vehicle traffic during the summer months.  Starting on the weekends for the first year to allow for a gradual transition as the various issues are worked out and people adapt to the changes.

Cody Younker (candidate for council)

Cody Younker is running for a spot on Revelstoke city council. Photo: Cody Younker

I think that the current way council has dealt with this is disappointing. It is unfair to our business community to pick and choose which ones get to have patios and which ones don’t. I believe that we need to be clear and consistent with whatever decision we make.  In my opinion, we need to actually look at making Mackenzie Ave from Victoria to 2^nd St and possibly even 3^rd St a car free zone during the summer. Studies that have been done show that when streets become pedestrian access only, the businesses thrive and that’s exactly what we should be wanting in our community. In regards to the other streets, I have no issues with any businesses applying to have a patio as long as they pay their required fee and follow the rules that are laid out. Keeping in mind that I believe every block needs to have a minimum of 2 spots on either side of the street dedicated to disabled/senior parking. The current council ran on a position that they were pro business but many of the decisions they have made through their term have actually negatively affected business.