Parking Perception Problem

[JayByrd]

I have no problem finding parking downtown. I agree there is a perception problem, rather than a real problem. Those who refuse to pay for parking on principle, are probably still arguing that Orchard Park mall will be a failure because it's way on the edge of town.

And lightspeed, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever called me

[lensbaby]

If the people who work downtown would leave the prime spots empty instead of taking them for themselves, there wouldn't be such a parking problem. I worked downtown for many years and the realtors used to all rush out and switch places with each other to avoid being ticketed.

So where do you suggest they park? It’s just reaffirming the obvious - the downtown has lacked proper parking for years. Funny how every other major city center has parkades smack dab in the middle of their downtown core - you know, just in case anyone wants to maybe go shopping, or visit one of the local eateries. Uber and car pooling will not solve all the parking issues.

My staff parked in the Parkade - leaving prime spots for our customers.

[voice of reason]

i dont care if the parking is free. im not going to park my truck anywhere that i have to worry about some dope fiends breaking in to it if i dont have to.any item sold downtown is sold other places.there is zero reason for me to have to go down there.im not going to park and walk around like we used to do in the old days because now there is tons of undesirables and low lifes.downtown used to be cool.we would park at safeway and walk around and talk to people on friday and saturday nights.it used to be the main strip.now it is a craphole.they let downtown turn into junkietown in the early 2000s and now they are wondering why people dont want to go down there anymore.it used to be a great place to go for dinner and walk down to the movies but thats gone now too.i cant think of 1 good reason for me to go down there but i can think of many reasons not to

[dodgerdodge]

i dont care if the parking is free. im not going to park my truck anywhere that i have to worry about some dope fiends breaking in to it if i dont have to.any item sold downtown is sold other places.there is zero reason for me to have to go down there.im not going to park and walk around like we used to do in the old days because now there is tons of undesirables and low lifes.downtown used to be cool.we would park at safeway and walk around and talk to people on friday and saturday nights.it used to be the main strip.now it is a craphole.they let downtown turn into junkietown in the early 2000s and now they are wondering why people dont want to go down there anymore.it used to be a great place to go for dinner and walk down to the movies but thats gone now too.i cant think of 1 good reason for me to go down there but i can think of many reasons not to

Agreed it is not a great place as it should be on a summer weekend. We spent time down there one Saturday listening to the music and people watching but so many undesirables on the streets and laying around in the park. We actually got approached by one guy in middle of Bernard who was quite aggressive in his nature giving us some story about a guy nearly running him down and how he was going to take this guy out and generally just being very odd and loud before he went on to say how anything helps. I was thankful my mate is a huge 6ft 6" guy who told him to "go bother someone else" As we met up with our other halfs and carried on strolling there he was giving the same story to some other poor people.

[WalterWhite]

If the people who work downtown would leave the prime spots empty instead of taking them for themselves, there wouldn't be such a parking problem. I worked downtown for many years and the realtors used to all rush out and switch places with each other to avoid being ticketed.

So where do you suggest they park? It’s just reaffirming the obvious - the downtown has lacked proper parking for years. Funny how every other major city center has parkades smack dab in the middle of their downtown core - you know, just in case anyone wants to maybe go shopping, or visit one of the local eateries. Uber and car pooling will not solve all the parking issues.

My staff parked in the Parkade - leaving prime spots for our customers.

Good for you - and I mean that sincerely. However, due to the lack of additional parkades, many would-be users simply find the current parkades not convenient to their work. Don’t blame the end users. The city planning and development office has long accepted payment in lieu of parking for developments that run short in their lot coverage calculations, which has resulted in what we have dealt with for about the same time.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

i dont care if the parking is free. im not going to park my truck anywhere that i have to worry about some dope fiends breaking in to it if i dont have to.any item sold downtown is sold other places.there is zero reason for me to have to go down there.im not going to park and walk around like we used to do in the old days because now there is tons of undesirables and low lifes.downtown used to be cool.we would park at safeway and walk around and talk to people on friday and saturday nights.it used to be the main strip.now it is a craphole.they let downtown turn into junkietown in the early 2000s and now they are wondering why people dont want to go down there anymore.it used to be a great place to go for dinner and walk down to the movies but thats gone now too.i cant think of 1 good reason for me to go down there but i can think of many reasons not to

Like nobody ever gets their vehicle broken into at a mall.. yeah right..
And you always get a spot right in front, even if the store is 300 feet inside..
Nice stories keep them coming..

[voice of reason]

Like nobody ever gets their vehicle broken into at a mall.. yeah right..
And you always get a spot right in front, even if the store is 300 feet inside..
Nice stories keep them coming..

there is zero reason for me to go to the mall either.malls are a thing of the past.why go into that zoo and pay for overpriced items when amazon will mail you the exact item within 48 to your doorstep

[Bsuds]

amazon will mail you the exact item within 48 to your doorstep

True but you need to watch their pricing. They are not always the best deal.

[monroe]

We enjoyed downtown. Especially this past summer when the floods drove everyone out. Reminded me of visits back when i was teenager when everything was a bit more tame..

The money we spent being downtown was more on food than actual shopping. At the end of it all we've never really had any major issue finding a parking.

Ive also never seen the parkade on Lawrence full other than the odd tiime during bigger events. I dont perceive our parking problem to be as bad as others see it..

[kgcayenne]

It's not bad... unless people want to be lazy as F. Those ones should stay on the sofa and order from Amazon, leave walking around downtown and saying hi to others to those of us who know now to move.

[Bsuds]

It's not bad... unless people want to be lazy as F. Those ones should stay on the sofa and order from Amazon, leave walking around downtown and saying hi to others to those of us who know now to move.

Or spend their time doing things they enjoy rather than going downtown where there seems to be more Coffee shops and food outlets rather than shopping.

[the truth]

i dont care if the parking is free. im not going to park my truck anywhere that i have to worry about some dope fiends breaking in to it if i dont have to.any item sold downtown is sold other places.there is zero reason for me to have to go down there.im not going to park and walk around like we used to do in the old days because now there is tons of undesirables and low lifes.downtown used to be cool.we would park at safeway and walk around and talk to people on friday and saturday nights.it used to be the main strip.now it is a craphole.they let downtown turn into junkietown in the early 2000s and now they are wondering why people dont want to go down there anymore.it used to be a great place to go for dinner and walk down to the movies but thats gone now too.i cant think of 1 good reason for me to go down there but i can think of many reasons not to

you are 100% correct and until the losers at city hall want to fix this problem nothing will change

[casey60]

For some reason, everything has to be downtown. So all traffic has to go downtown. In case you like to go to a hockey game or another event, most of the times parking lots are full. The side street are a 2hr parking limit. Why not make it a 3 hour on event night. At least the parking patrol car can stay home. So you don't find a $35 parking fine after you have enjoyed a hockey game or other event. Mayor and council to allow developments to go ahead with not enough parking is lunatic. At least have enough parking for 1 parking spot per unit. I just do not understand the reasoning behind that. Why try to make Kelowna a mini Vancouver. Where is the long term view for the city?

[Gilchy]

The issue isn't lack of parking, in my opinion, it's inadequate mass transit mixed with a dash of people thinking that 2 blocks is too far to walk. Lots of people who live downtown don't own, or need to own, a vehicle, especially as car and ride sharing become increasingly popular.

With regards to the repeated complaints over Kelowna becoming a mini-Vancouver, that is what inevitably happens as people continue to move into an area with limited geographic ability to spread. We can only go so far up the hillsides, and much of the remaining valley floor is ALR, so densification is the only way to fit everyone in.

[just popping in]

There is always available parking downtown, some people do not want to walk and/or pay.