New Downtown Parkade Pay System

[GTING]

I couldn't find a thread that I figured this would fit so I just opened a new one...

Has anyone noticed the Calgary Parking Authority has changed the way they charge in their parkades? Previously you would get a ticket when you enter and pay when you leave. Now it operates the same as street parking, you pay at those machines inputting your license plate number.

The problem is now that they have done this they have done away with the $2 after 6 and on the weekend price. So last weekend I paid $5/ hour when it normally cost me $2 for the whole day! The piece they had on the cfcn news last night made it seem they were making it "easier and quicker" because you can pay with your phone (exactly like street parking). To me it seems like they disguised a significant rate increase by making it "easier and quicker".

Or do I have this wrong? It has been a few months since I parked downtown on the weekend.

[Radley77]

I'm not sure where you are parking, the CORE has started offering free parking on evenings and weekends...

CORE info

Starting October 29th we will be offering FREE parking on evenings and weekends.

*The free parking will be available after 4 pm on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays at the Holt Renfrew Parkade located on 8th Avenue between 4th and 5th Street; and the CORE Parkade located on 4th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue. The first three hours of parking is FREE, and after that the $2 flat fee will apply.

The Holt Renfrew Parkade is located beneath the New Holt Renfrew, on 8th Avenue between 4th Street & 5th Street (this section of 8th Avenue does allow for 2 way traffic)293 stalls to choose from and with FREE parking available evenings and weekends its cheaper than transit!

CORE Parkade - Located on 4th Street between 8th Avenue and 7th Avenue, under the Canada Trust Office Tower. FREE parking available - Weekday evenings after 4pm, weekends and holidays.

Additionally, there are 6,000 parking stalls in downtown Calgary and the CORE is close to nearly all of them. Many parkades (some heated) offer $2 parking on weekends and weekday evenings!

For more information about parking Downtown, visit: www.calgaryparking.com or www.vincipark.ca

http://www.coreshopping.ca/info.php

Additionally,

City-owned parkades with $2 max parking on evenings and weekends:

City Centre: 340 - 10 Ave SW & 221 - 9 Ave SW (1500 stalls)
McDougall: 720 - 5 Ave SW & 451 - 6 St SW (658 stalls)
James Short: 112 - 5 Ave SW & 115 - 4 Ave SW (880 stalls)
Centennial: 608 - 9 Ave SW & 823 - 5 St SW (1007 stalls)

*Note: Need to enter after 16:00 hours in order to get the evening rates.
**Note: As of November 23, 2010

https://www.calgaryparking.com/web/guest/parkingrates

I haven't found it being a problem parking in the CBD on evenings and weekends; usually there is ample space, little traffic jams during offpeak hours, and it's heated which is nice for really cold days.

[bookermorgan]

This is for any Calgary Parking Authority Parkade. I assume the Core parking is privately owned

[GTING]

I parked at the convention centre, but I assume the other parkade on 9th next to EAP is the same way too. If I had known they changed their prices I would have parked at the core, I just didn't want to walk in -20 .

Edit: Thanks Radley, I wasn't aware that the city owned ones were $2. My problem is that not that there isn't affordable parking on the weekend, but that they disguised a rate increase as a increase of service quality.

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by GTING

I parked at the convention centre, but I assume the other parkade on 9th next to EAP is the same way too. If I had known they changed their prices I would have parked at the core, I just didn't want to walk in -20 .

Edit: Thanks Radley, I wasn't aware that the city owned ones were $2. My problem is that not that there isn't affordable parking on the weekend, but that they disguised a rate increase as a increase of service quality.

It'd be cool if the Downtown Calgary Association was to develop an iPhone App that lists all the parking locations as well as rates at that time (both private and public). There's a lot of choice out there with free parking as well as 17 locations and 6783 stalls of $2 parking available (map).

Sunterra at Keynote, the Bay downtown, and Calgary Stampede Casino are a couple other places that I can think of that if you are shopping or doing business there will discount the cost of parking.