Pay parking at beach in Penticton

[fluffy]

There could be some dispute there. Main Street parking is a direct benefit to the businesses there and few others. Those who benefit from a crowded beach are more widespread than the immediate area, and through trickle-down economics include the whole local population to a degree.

[Thinktank]

It just goes to show you how insane this world is.

I just read in the Vancouver Sun that BC spends $1 billion per year on diabetes drugs. We should subsidize healthy lifestyle. We should NOT make people pay for Okanagan Beach, or Loco Landing (biking) - both healthy things to do. And we should not try to make a buck off Skaha Lake with a waterslide.

It just goes to show you how insane AND GREEDY this world is.

Studies have shown, in cities in USA with (richer) green areas (for walking, biking) etc, people live ten years longer than the poor areas with no green areas.

Humans are nuts, I'm convinced. That $1 billion we spend in BC on diabetes drugs is absurd. We should stop going for the money like greedy pigs, and spend on whatever is healthy.

Keep Okanagan Lake free for all of us . Including the poor.

[twobits]

Keep Okanagan Lake free for all of us . Including the poor.

What are you talking about? The Lake and Beach are free to use by anyone. What the dispute here is, is paying to park a vehicle.....not use of the Lake or Beach. If one can afford to buy a vehicle, insure it, pay to operate it, and maintain it then one had better be prepared to have to possibly pay to park it somewhere other than their own driveway sometimes. And I would add to that that my definition of "poor" does not really include anyone that can afford to own and operate a motor vehicle.
Parking is never free anywhere contrary to some peoples beliefs. Some one is always paying for it. Mall tenants pay their share of snow removal, crack filling, lighting, line painting, and eventually asphalt replacement thru their triple net rent payments. Any stand alone business on their own piece of property that has a customer parking lot pays for that parking lot too. Downtown businesses pay a levy for free parking that is part of the property tax notice. Homeowners even actually pay to park at home if they have a driveway or carport. Those driveways or carports were included in the price of the residence.
Why then is it so unreasonable to expect City owned parking spaces to not be able to recoup some of those parking costs? If anything, by not charging at least something for these City parking spots, we are penalizing your truly "poor" people that do not own vehicles cuz they are paying for your free parking costs on their City taxes or a portion of their rent that covers property taxes and will never use a damn parking spot. What's more fair to your "poor" people? That or some token user pay fee?

Edit to add- And if any business feels that they should not have to pay for the parking utilized by their patrons, they are in denial of what parking costs. Smart business people put up signs that offer to deduct the parking fee off of their bill. Stupid business people watch people bypass their business because they are too cheap to pay for their customers parking convenience and prefer the outdated model of taxpayers covering the cost of parking for them.

[Thinktank]

So what we want to do, to keep this country sane, is to start subsidizing everything that is healthy for people. Parking and walking on OK Lake is healthy. We subsidize it. Parking and swimming on Okanagan Lake is healthy. Subsidize it. Skaha Lake is a healthy thing for people to do - subsidize it.

And then every dumb thing in the world that is not so healthy for people, we tax that. Casions - put up pay parking at Casions and see how that works out for them.

Since 1997, the B.C. Lottery Corporation has paid out more than $400 million in gambling revenues to B.C. casino operators so that they can recoup their capital costs.

^ What does that mean? Anyone know? Can someone explain it for everyone else?

http://globalnews.ca/news/105988/b-c-lo ... o-casinos/

[twobits]

^ What does that mean? Anyone know? Can someone explain it for everyone else?

It could mean that Casino revenues helped pay for that walkway for you to walk on along the beach and pay for your free parking so you didn't have to walk to the beach to go for a walk.

[XT225]

It is ridiculous, just like you mentioned people will park on Lakeshore and the side streets rather than pay and park at Loco landing or Coyote cruises.
Is this the cities way of making up funds that they pledged to help PIB with garbage removal and other general maintenance of the channel after PIB threatened to charge everyone a fee who floats the channel?
So now anyone wanting to take their kids and teens with cars will have to pay to park in front of the skate park.
I hope they start using local business parking lots and walkways as skate parks more now.

It appears that staff and council have finally listened to the people (guess there wasn't very many of the public speaking up IN favor of the pay parking). Going to back off this year; even remove or bag the Loco Landing and Lakawana park kiosks. You would think a final decision would have been made BEFORE putting those in place. Cart before the horse for sure. Andre Martin has sealed his fate for 2018, no question there. I agree with Martha Stewart on this recent decision: "Its a Good Thing".
With the low Cdn. vs U.S. dollar, tourism, we might just enjoy a banner year in Penticton.

http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/new ... -strategy/

[fall]

Looked like the city was taking out some of the no parking signs at Loco this afternoon. They had several in the back of a truck and one worker was standing in front of one scratching his head figuring out how to deal with it and the yellow cement things around it. The other workers appeared to be on a break.

[twobits]

Looked like the city was taking out some of the no parking signs at Loco this afternoon. They had several in the back of a truck and one worker was standing in front of one scratching his head figuring out how to deal with it and the yellow cement things around it. The other workers appeared to be on a break.

The other guys that appeared to be on a break were the supervisor, foreman, and lead hand. The employee scratching his head was the one actually working.

[Thinktank]

@ 2:40 JCV Dude, who says he prefers Penticton to Kelowna, mentions the FREE PARKING.

How dumb can our mayor be, I wonder, to try scrape out a few bucks from every tourist for parking?

[fall]

That looks like a busy day downtown. What was it welfare and pension day?
Couldn't help but notice the city guy busy at work near the end lol.

[lcpp64]

In My Opinion;

There seems to be more & more taxes collected from Fed, Prov, & Municipal Govts. This pay for parking will just be another tax imposed by the Municipal Government. Who will benefit from this new tax? Who will suffer from it? What will the new tax money be spent upon (maybe your local politicians deserve a raise)?

I live in Victoria. I think Penticton is the nicest town in the Okanagan. I am a tourist in your town & I have spent loads of tourist dollars in your beautiful municipality over many decades. Your new parking fees will affect and reduce the amount of tourist money I spend in your town. It is not necessarily the amount the parking costs, but the hassle, inconvenience, rushed feeling, & basic unfriendly message parking fees represent.

I have stood on your beautiful beach with my feet in the sand watching the sunset over the mountains with a light summer breeze coming down the lake - oh hang on I gotta go plug the meter or they will tow my vehicle away...

By the way; In Victoria "downtown" we have pay parking & it is a source of debate for our Mayor & Council with regards to them attempting to revitalize the downtown core for the businesses there. Many locals in Victoria avoid conducting business & shopping in the downtown core due to the costly parking. In contrast, we have miles & miles of ocean shore surrounding Victoria which the tourists love to see. Guess what - It is mostly "Free Parking" at the shorelines.

I think your local government got this one wrong! Maybe there are some well spoken clear headed business people who could talk some sense into them?

Well it has been 3 years since my post here.

Really glad there is no pay parking at the beach still. Way to go Penticton.

I was at the Abbotsford Motorcycle Show on the weekend & talked to the “Tourism” Penticton guys & the booth & told them I still vacation in Penticton as I really enjoy the pace & not having to worry about plugging the meter. Feels like “Zen”

[neighbor]

The days of a lot of out of towners that enjoyed Penticton and its free parking may think twice with one more headache and cost to go walk along the beach or do whatever. Less people less spending money in the town!

This year, especially is an opportunity to welcome visitors from South of the border (with the low Cdn dollar) and we (Penticton) should be the first to offer FREE parking to entice them to stay here for a while. Why be "just like the other" cities up the valley and charge for everything. It also means more bylaw/meter maids and they don't come cheap and the cost of vandalism to meters, plus the initial install. I disagree completely with what city council is doing on this matter.

Actually, for the price of your gas, even while coming from a state with the highest gas prices in the US, and the increase cost of eating out, groceries (holy crap!), and lodging, there is no savings while spending US dollars in Canada unless you are buying incredible wine, cider, or craft beer! (No complaint here!), or....electronics or a car, which we will be doing in the recent future. Canadians need to realize this. We visit because we love our neighbors to the north. Seriously.

The fact that we usually can't find parking at the beach during the warm season, is not that big of a deal, but now that we are up visiting family, (and always head downtown to visit the beach and to enjoy restaurants) throughout the year, makes these new fees disappointing. And as much as we love loonies and toonies, I will be interested in how much car break-ins increase when folks have to drive around with change in their cars to make sure they have parking meter money . Just easier to drive south and hit the strip malls unless you are looking to visit a specific business downtown. (So excited for The Cannery's added space to enjoy good beer and music, and finally an outdoor ice rink and event space)

We will be in the market for a little red wagon, or some type of "beach stuff" hauling rig, and hoof it to the beach downtown. Or maybe drive a little north to other beach spots. I guess I should thank the city for my new exercise goal for the new year, walking the three miles from our son's house to the dog park at the beach. And for the added expense for locals who enjoy the beach daily and don't live withing walking distance.

Sounds like a new business, "wagon sales & rentals", might be a great addition to bike or scooter rentals. Or even pay to park for the day in resident driveways?...Vancouver Avenue residents? ...but you all might already have that...??...We will have to look into that...We have never found a downtown beach parking spot during the tourist season except later in the evening, and I don't think pay parking will change that. It will only affect locals who like to enjoy the beach year round.

[XT225]

So excited for The Cannery's added space to enjoy good beer and music, and finally an outdoor ice rink and event space)

I wouldn't get too excited about an outdoor rink; its only an idea and requires parking downtown and taking away more parking down there. Many people are far more in favor of such a venue for Skaha Park; since parking is no problem. Pay parking not required down there.

[neighbor]

So excited for The Cannery's added space to enjoy good beer and music, and finally an outdoor ice rink and event space)

I wouldn't get too excited about an outdoor rink; its only an idea and requires parking downtown and taking away more parking down there. Many people are far more in favor of such a venue for Skaha Park; since parking is no problem. Pay parking not required down there.

We were downtown in September, then in November. We spent two days each visit downtown shopping and eating. It was pretty deserted except for a few folks at eating establishments. We parked on a side street for free parking, actually not to far from the site recommended for the new rink, and then spent half the day exploring downtown. Then went to the beach to park and walk the waterfront and checked out restaurants and got familiar with the area. Not to many people out on a day with just a little wind, and sun trying to peak out. We were amazed how quiet it was. The downtown needs something to attract business, even on weekends, after the new year and even in November. Local business. Families. Regulars that get you thru the slow part of the year, and actually act like you care about locals. I don't get that vibe downtown.

And if Skaha is the better option, then it should be there. I would think the downtown businesses and City would be part of the group pushing for a rink downtown as well. Any foot traffic is good for business when looking long-term.

I am amazed that there is not the outdoor rinks in Penticton that Kamloops has at local parks. I was shocked when told that the small rink at the resort was the only option. I think that the city needs at least the downtown rink, and one at Skaha Park seems to be a must as well. I am not getting the feeling that Penticton is very family friendly city.

[southy]

Great post Neighbor .. your perception is 100 percent correct. City is more concerned with Ironman and of course there is the downtown Saturday. Market .. Adult and dog friendly with very little parking.