MegaMax
New Member
Obviously influenced the location of this POS:
http://urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?p=246054#post246054
http://urbantoronto.ca/showthread.php?p=246054#post246054
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- Thread starter khris
- Start date
khris
Senior Member
City charges for parking starting next month
By: Radhika Panjwani
April 24, 2009 04:53 PM - Motorists beware: It appears there's no such thing anymore as free parking in the city core.
Starting May 25, the City of Mississauga will impose on-street parking fees of $2 to $5 in and around the City Centre.
And the parking meters might only be the first step.
Geoff Wright, the City's director of transportation, said underground parking at the Living Arts Centre, Central Library and Civic Centre, which is currently free, is being reviewed by staff with an eye towards charging fees.
City staff who surveyed nearby municipalities that charge for on-street parking say Mississauga is one of only a handful of major Canadian cities that does not currently charge for parking. Staff found parking rates ranged from $1.50 per hour in Brampton to $3.50 in some parts of Toronto, for example.
Effective May 25, motorists parking on the street in and around the city core, during specified hours, will pay $2 per hour during the day and a $5 flat rate for overnight parking.
City officials say the pay-for-parking initiative is driven by continued intensification, limited parking in some areas and a desire to motivate people to take the bus, cycle or walk.
Mayor Hazel McCallion has long called for a parking strategy.
For more information, visit www.mississauga.ca/parking.
Source
By: Radhika Panjwani
April 24, 2009 04:53 PM - Motorists beware: It appears there's no such thing anymore as free parking in the city core.
Starting May 25, the City of Mississauga will impose on-street parking fees of $2 to $5 in and around the City Centre.
And the parking meters might only be the first step.
Geoff Wright, the City's director of transportation, said underground parking at the Living Arts Centre, Central Library and Civic Centre, which is currently free, is being reviewed by staff with an eye towards charging fees.
City staff who surveyed nearby municipalities that charge for on-street parking say Mississauga is one of only a handful of major Canadian cities that does not currently charge for parking. Staff found parking rates ranged from $1.50 per hour in Brampton to $3.50 in some parts of Toronto, for example.
Effective May 25, motorists parking on the street in and around the city core, during specified hours, will pay $2 per hour during the day and a $5 flat rate for overnight parking.
City officials say the pay-for-parking initiative is driven by continued intensification, limited parking in some areas and a desire to motivate people to take the bus, cycle or walk.
Mayor Hazel McCallion has long called for a parking strategy.
For more information, visit www.mississauga.ca/parking.
Source
vistaway
Active Member
The meters were finally installed today. Only three years late...
khris
Senior Member
Paid parking will drive customers away: shop owners
By: Radhika Panjwani
rpanjwani@mississauga.net
May 13, 2009 04:30 PM - The owner of a small computer store in the City Centre says the City of Mississauga's plan to charge for on-street parking will hurt his business.
Armed with a petition signed by more than 10 area business owners, Al Hammamieh, who owns Compu Me, appeared today at City Council to urge councillors to consider offering free metered parking for the first half-hour.
Starting May 25, the City will impose on-street parking fees of $2 to $5 in and around the City Centre.
“It was a shock to us as business owners when we heard the City was planning to install parking meters, especially at this time during the middle of the current financial recession,” Hammamieh said. “We believe that this can have devastating impact on our businesses.
“We believe the paid parking is a big drawback to our clients, who will end up going elsewhere where the parking is free, especially if they only want to browse,” he added.
Ward 4 councillor Frank Dale said he discussed with staff the option of programming parking meters so the first half-hour could be free, but was told there were technical difficulties in doing so.
“No time is probably a good time to introduce paid parking anywhere, let alone in the City Centre,” Dale said. “We've looked long and hard at this. I think it's going to have minimal impact with respect to businesses...I also think as a business yourself, if someone is challenging the parking, you could pick up the tab.”
Ward 7 councillor Nando Iannicca suggested paid parking will be advantageous to local businesses because parking spaces will not be taken up by residents of nearby high-rise buildings.
“This is the greatest advantage we can give you because the City's paying for your parking,” Iannicca told Hammamieh. “The main point is, 99 per cent of cars parked in the downtown core today aren't your customers. They're residents taking advantage of free parking.”
Ward 1 councillor Carmen Corbasson said paid parking has been the norm in Port Credit for more than two decades and it has worked well for the 420 businesses.
Source
By: Radhika Panjwani
rpanjwani@mississauga.net
May 13, 2009 04:30 PM - The owner of a small computer store in the City Centre says the City of Mississauga's plan to charge for on-street parking will hurt his business.
Armed with a petition signed by more than 10 area business owners, Al Hammamieh, who owns Compu Me, appeared today at City Council to urge councillors to consider offering free metered parking for the first half-hour.
Starting May 25, the City will impose on-street parking fees of $2 to $5 in and around the City Centre.
“It was a shock to us as business owners when we heard the City was planning to install parking meters, especially at this time during the middle of the current financial recession,” Hammamieh said. “We believe that this can have devastating impact on our businesses.
“We believe the paid parking is a big drawback to our clients, who will end up going elsewhere where the parking is free, especially if they only want to browse,” he added.
Ward 4 councillor Frank Dale said he discussed with staff the option of programming parking meters so the first half-hour could be free, but was told there were technical difficulties in doing so.
“No time is probably a good time to introduce paid parking anywhere, let alone in the City Centre,” Dale said. “We've looked long and hard at this. I think it's going to have minimal impact with respect to businesses...I also think as a business yourself, if someone is challenging the parking, you could pick up the tab.”
Ward 7 councillor Nando Iannicca suggested paid parking will be advantageous to local businesses because parking spaces will not be taken up by residents of nearby high-rise buildings.
“This is the greatest advantage we can give you because the City's paying for your parking,” Iannicca told Hammamieh. “The main point is, 99 per cent of cars parked in the downtown core today aren't your customers. They're residents taking advantage of free parking.”
Ward 1 councillor Carmen Corbasson said paid parking has been the norm in Port Credit for more than two decades and it has worked well for the 420 businesses.
Source
DavidJamesTO
Active Member
Are they charging for parking at Square One? What will stop people from parking on the fringes of their lots and walking from there? (besides the fact that nobody walks in Mississauga)
doady
Senior Member
khris
Senior Member
I went for a 2 hour long walk on Tuesday, and there was definitely lots of people walking around. I'm noticing more every year, which is great.
As for the businesses suffering... they probably will take a bit of a dent, but I wouldn't imagine much. There is a learning curve, and paying for parking will feel normal eventually.
As for parking at Square One, and then leaving their property to go elsewhere... they don't particularly care for that much as far as I know.
As for the businesses suffering... they probably will take a bit of a dent, but I wouldn't imagine much. There is a learning curve, and paying for parking will feel normal eventually.
As for parking at Square One, and then leaving their property to go elsewhere... they don't particularly care for that much as far as I know.
DavidJamesTO
Active Member
They don't seem to walk much in MCC when I'm there. I was there a couple weeks back and it was a ghost town. I couldn't help thinking how convincing Mississauga would be as the setting for a remake of Farhenheit 451.
Who doesn't care for parking at Square One, the customers or the shopkeepers?
Who doesn't care for parking at Square One, the customers or the shopkeepers?
drum118
Superstar
Charging people to park overnight long over due when residents are supposed to own only 1 car per unit.
Most show up on move in day with 2 or more cars.
$5 a night is a steal compare to buying a spot.
Charging a fee will force a high turn over of spots and may bring more business to these stores.
If business is rely on parking to support them, then they ether doing a poor PR, wrong business for the location or the residents of the area think their prices are to high to shop there in the first place.
By charging a high price, we may get streets empty of cars like TTC has at their parking lots.
Most show up on move in day with 2 or more cars.
$5 a night is a steal compare to buying a spot.
Charging a fee will force a high turn over of spots and may bring more business to these stores.
If business is rely on parking to support them, then they ether doing a poor PR, wrong business for the location or the residents of the area think their prices are to high to shop there in the first place.
By charging a high price, we may get streets empty of cars like TTC has at their parking lots.
Cooool
Active Member
The Mississauga City Centre is just brutal with parking tickets. They gave me a ticket for parking in area for over 3 hours when I was only there for 40 minutes.
There's always Square One, which will always have free parking.
There's always Square One, which will always have free parking.
Brian69
Not the Messiah
I have to agree with DHLawrence85--having lived at MCC for over 2 years it was a ghost town much of the time.
Doady's picture at Dundas and Hurontario is a bit misleading (notwithstanding he is accurate in pointing out Mississauga itself has lots of walkers) as that area is a bit south and is a very different neighbourhood and includes lots of retail. Even the mixed house/condo area near Cooksville have more walkers but as far as MCC itself goes, sad to say but it's car culture all the way.
Doady's picture at Dundas and Hurontario is a bit misleading (notwithstanding he is accurate in pointing out Mississauga itself has lots of walkers) as that area is a bit south and is a very different neighbourhood and includes lots of retail. Even the mixed house/condo area near Cooksville have more walkers but as far as MCC itself goes, sad to say but it's car culture all the way.
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khris
Senior Member
Brian69
Not the Messiah
Great--I haven't lived there since December so maybe things have changed this spring. But no cheating by using farmer market days. 
doady
Senior Member
The point is that Cooksville is a post-war neighbourhood. It is suburban, but it still has a lot of pedestrians and very high transit use. The same can be said of Clarkson, and many places in suburban Toronto.
If a neighbourhood like Cooksville, with all its parking lots and strip malls and tower-in-a-parks, can have a lot of pedestrians, then really MCC can only do better.
Brian69
Not the Messiah
I think the big problem with MCC is the lack of retail outside of Square One, and with Square One people drive in and stay there and don't wander around the rest of MCC. I wonder if the wide lanes on Burnhamthorpe also discourage pedestrians with cars doing 60-70 when they aren't backed up. I hated crossing it from the south side and having to be a defensive pedestrian much of the time. Special events (festivals in front of city hall, farmer's market) can draw walking traffic but you need a reason for people to do so continuously. It was a dumb idea to move the farmer's market to the more hidden north side of Square One as it did bring in a lot of people when it was just off of city hall.