Parking revenues rise during transit strike
Posted Mar 5, 2012 05:24:32 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Parking spaces are at a premium in Halifax with more people driving as a result of the Metro Transit strike – and that means parking lot operators, including HRM, are raking in some extra revenue.
HRM spokesperson Michaelyn Thompson tells News 95.7 there were about a thousand fewer parking tickets issued in February compared to January, before the strike started.
However, she says the year-over-year figures tell a different story.
“From Feb. 2 to the 28th (2011), there were 12,190 (tickets,)” she said. “This year, from Feb. 2 to the 29th, there were 13 813.”
The Waterfront Development Corporation, which operates five large parking lots on the waterfront, also reports an increase in parking revenue.
“We’re up about 25 to 30 per cent over the same period last year,” said WDC director of operations Jennifer Angel. “In real dollars, that’s not a tremendous amount of money, it’s probably 10 or so thousand dollars.”
Angel says there’s still space left in the waterfront lots every day, but says there’s no question that more people are looking for somewhere to park.
She says the corporation normally offers monthly parking for a six-month term, but is offering it on a month-to-month basis to accomodate drivers during the strike.
Angel says the increased revenue is re-invested in the city and waterfront.
“Things like events that we host on the waterfront, including Tall Ships this summer in July,” she said. “It also means a number of infrastructure improvements.”
Metro Transit workers walked off the job on Feb. 2.
