Martin street upgrade?

[livewire]

So basically the city of Penticton decided to spend a whole lot of taxpayers money on laying fancy sidewalk stone for people to park their cars on. I was confused as to weather or not it is sidewalk or parking spots....

[shoo]

I loved the idea of a beautiful wide sidewalk to enhance Martin street. Then they installed the parking meters...

[southy]

I loved the idea of a beautiful wide sidewalk to enhance Martin street. Then they installed the parking meters...

It would be very interesting to find out if the city has an actual parking meter plan. Or ... do they just place them and take them away at will? I know I should be contacting city hall for information, but thats kinda like going for a root canal. Anyone have information?

[twobits]

So basically the city of Penticton decided to spend a whole lot of taxpayers money on laying fancy sidewalk stone for people to park their cars on. I was confused as to weather or not it is sidewalk or parking spots....

Had a good look at it yesterday. Nice, but nothing special. That flexible parking thing with the brick.....I can see where many would be confused. Lots of coin for what you see but in fairness, the street had to be ripped up anyway to replace the 50 yr old sewer and water mains. Would be nice if the city was forthcoming on what the price difference would have been for the infrastructure upgrades vs. the cake icing. Sometimes just a plain carrot cake is more appropriate for the budget. These upgrades (Martin and Main) are looking more and more like someones legacy project rather than a true need. Suppose bike lanes to nowhere don't meet the 2.5 mill legacy level.

[Dawnland]

Twobits;
Some of the costs would be offset from the contest the city won:
http://paintwhatmatters.com/post/88613942261/sunshine-smiles-and-five-cities-inspired
Benjamin Moore Main Street Matters. Penticton was one of five cities selected in Canada and the US.
If you're going to have a structural upgrade and someone is pitching in for the cosmetics, why not just do it all at the same time?
I'm not thrilled with the upgrade because it just makes the next block look much worse. Those black poles are going to make for some interesting bar crawl pedestrian experiences. Gotta get my camera ready. I'll have my own YouTube Chanel.

[twobits]

Twobits;
Some of the costs would be offset from the contest the city won:
http://paintwhatmatters.com/post/88613942261/sunshine-smiles-and-five-cities-inspired
Benjamin Moore Main Street Matters. Penticton was one of five cities selected in Canada and the US.
If you're going to have a structural upgrade and someone is pitching in for the cosmetics, why not just do it all at the same time?
I'm not thrilled with the upgrade because it just makes the next block look much worse. Those black poles are going to make for some interesting bar crawl pedestrian experiences. Gotta get my camera ready. I'll have my own YouTube Chanel.

The main street upgrades they are speaking about have nothing to do with private buildings. Tax dollars could not be spent in such a fashion. If Ben Moore is donating a few k in paint, good on them. We will have to wait and see how many building owners take up the offer and put brush to wall.
Main street infrastructure should be fine. It should have been replaced the last time we revitalized downtown and put in all the benches, planters, and paving stone sidewalks and crosswalks.

[Dawnland]

My bad, I thought the contest included a portion of funds outside of paint and that it didn't have to be Main Street specifically. I recall there being a poll conducted on which street should receive the funds. I was under the impression that the 'corridor' was the successful target. I would like to see how the city and council are going to promote this and all the other new upgrades and projects. The huge media event next year will require some in depth planning to be effective.

[southy]

My bad, I thought the contest included a portion of funds outside of paint and that it didn't have to be Main Street specifically. I recall there being a poll conducted on which street should receive the funds. I was under the impression that the 'corridor' was the successful target. I would like to see how the city and council are going to promote this and all the other new upgrades and projects. The huge media event next year will require some in depth planning to be effective.

I would just like to know how the city plans for parking meters and spitters?

[Dawnland]

Agreed. I would like to know as well.

city plans for parking meters and spitters

By 'spitters', do you mean people who spit? Or is this a term used for some part of the upgrade? I am not in construction so I genuinely don't know how you are using that term.

[pentona]

I would just like to know how the city plans for parking meters and spitters?

I think that people should get ready for the removal of parking meters all over downtown and expect to see the ticket spitter machines replacing them. There has been considerable discussion that the downtown is inconsistent with regards to parking. Its free in some areas (1 or 2 hrs) and pay parking in other areas. I feel that its too bad that the city doesn't seem to comprehend that people will not flock to downtown if they have to pay. They'll go to the Mall instead. Or they will park wherever they can that is still free parking.

[twobits]

By 'spitters', do you mean people who spit? Or is this a term used for some part of the upgrade? I am not in construction so I genuinely don't know how you are using that term.

"spitters" as in parking receipt for your car dash rather than a meter at every parking spot. The Hospital has the "spitters" for example. If they put those downtown for on street parking it will be a huge stupid move.

Is it just me or does anyone else find the user friendliness of the spitters at the hospital somewhat lacking?

[southy]

Twobits ... you might know .. are the spitters at the hospital contracted out? If so is it a local firm or a company out Vancouver?
I suppose we can safely assume the spitters in the city lots are maintained and enforced by our local bylaw types? Doesn't the City of Kelowna contract out some of their parking management, Prospera Place, etc.?

[Dawnland]

Gotcha on the whole spitters thing... thanks I get it.
I totally hate them, big freaking hunks of metal that half the time don't work, eat your money, don't give change and are frequently contaminated by some slob's bodily fluid.
Don't do it!!!!! It's a maintenance nightmare. You think the city is going to make money to offset the upgrade costs but you just end up dumping money in to fix and replace them.

[twobits]

Twobits ... you might know .. are the spitters at the hospital contracted out? If so is it a local firm or a company out Vancouver?

They are contracted out but I do not know if they are from Vancouver. Likely. Here's another thing that pizzes me off about the hospital parking. This contracted parking outfit has two people patrolling the lot to check for ticket compliance. But what I've seen is that it is a 8 hour smoking break shift cuz that's all I ever see them doing.....smoking on the hospital blvd. They could be at least somewhat useful if they could make change for people. Ask them and the response is "we are not allowed to handle cash" WHY NOT? So now you have to go into the hospital, get your change, back out to the machine, and back to your car before you can finally do what you came for....go to the damn hospital. You are either going to become fit from jumping thru the hoops or have a coronary in the parking lot because the chest pains you are experiencing are why you came to the hospital to begin with.

Would it not make more sense for the hospital to buy it's own spitter, keep all the revenue, and sell the rights to a local company to do random patrols for ticket compliance. They then get the revenue from tows.

I suppose we can safely assume the spitters in the city lots are maintained and enforced by our local bylaw types? Doesn't the City of Kelowna contract out some of their parking management, Prospera Place, etc.?

Good question. Not sure if the city maintains it's own machines. I think so but am not sure.
Yes, I think Prospera uses IPARK from Vancouver

Can you imagine those stupid things for street parking downtown or Martin St?

[Midnite]

Hospital parking shows "Impark Penticton" on Credit Card statement.