Paid parking to be introduced at 3 West Vancouver parks this fall

Starting this fall, visitors at three popular West Vancouver, B.C. parks Lighthouse, Nelson Canyon and Whytecliff will have to pay for vehicle parking.

The change is part of a six-month pilot project by the District of West Vancouver, which was passed unanimously by district council on Monday.

Starting in the fall, visitors to the three parks will have to pay $3.75 per hour for parking, with residents of the district having the option of a $20 annual parking pass per vehicle.

Visitors will only be able to pay using mobile parking apps or a QR code, according to the district, which says not having a cash machine would save upfront costs.

Sharon Thompson, a councillor with the district, said the program was needed as outdoor spaces saw huge demand after the COVID-19 pandemic began even though the prospect of paid parking brought up issues of access to green spaces.

"In the [Metro Vancouver] region, it's gone from creating access to managing access because the visitation is so prolific, and it's causing a tremendous amount of stress on our parks."

Thompson said the implementation of paid parking would also allow visitors to better plan their stay at a particular park, adding that the regional district was working on an app to see which parks had spots available.

WATCH | Idea of paid parking unpopular with West Vancouver visitors:

Lighthouse Park users worry paid parking will deter visitors

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CBC News spoke to visitors at the West Vancouver park, which will have paid parking this fall as part of a pilot program.

District staff are set to assess the effectiveness of the paid parking program and whether it leads to a significant reduction in park visitors.

"Pay parking can be considered a highly effective traffic demand management tool where it can incentivize the reduction of auto use," reads a staff report. "Reduced auto use has the positive environmental impact of reducing greenhouse gases."

Fees from the paid parking project are set to go directly into park maintenance and upkeep, according to district staff.

If the project is deemed a success, paid parking could be extended to other facilities in the city including Ambleside, John Lawson and Dundarave parks over the next year, according to Thompson.

Thompson said that the high demand for parking during the height of the pandemic saw vehicles parked in nearby neighbourhoods.

District staff say they will monitor to see whetherpaid parking will cause people to park outside designated areas.

In addition, Thompson said she will watch for how paid parking at Ambleside Park which is adjacent to the Park Royal commercial area will affect visitors.

"We're concerned with how this impacts people, but our ears are open, and we are going to reassess in a year and see how to move forward," Thompson said.