Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
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Regina’s mayor has had a change of heart about the removal of coin-operated parking meters from city streets.
“I’ve had a number of concerns, emails, phone calls, come into my office regarding the change to our downtown parking,” Chad Bachynski said in a video posted to Facebook. “I’ve heard your concerns. They are valid concerns about folks who may not have a phone or even a credit card.
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“So with that, I’m working with administration right now, and I’m looking to bring something next week when this is discussed, to make sure that we have an option for folks that don’t have that option with a phone or a credit card.”
The decision to remove parking meters was made during budget deliberations as a cost-saving measure. It means as of March 1, people who use on-street parking in paid areas like downtown will have to use the PayByPhone app.
Following Wednesday’s council meeting, Bachynski defended the decision when asked by reporters.
“We’re going to do our best to try and help people navigate that change,” he said. “But ultimately, I think it’s going to lead to a more effective way to to not only allow us to collect on on parking as we move forward, but also to change and adapt to the needs of parking with with that way of having the digital and not relying on the on the kind of physical, mechanical way of collecting as we did before.”
He said there had not been a lot of feedback to that point.
People who were asked about the change Friday said their main concern was for people who may not be able to use a smartphone app.
“I just think it’s hard for elderly people who don’t have phones, or don’t know how to manoeuvre this. I’m thinking of them,” Shauna Aubin said.
“The rest of us are capable, but I really feel for them.”
Another woman who declined to give her name said her husband would fall under that category.
Bachynski says to expect a recommendation and a “go-forward” plan at Wednesday’s Executive Committee meeting.
