Letters to the editor

I believe the person who was ticketed was doing volunteer work at the gospel mission when they got the $35 fine. Hearing this story prompted me to write.

I have lived here since 1973 and used to do almost all my shopping on Bernard Ave. Sure, Orchard Park was there in those days, but downtown Kelowna was way "cooler" than the mall. Since the introduction of paid parking to the downtown area, I rarely ever shop downtown.

I never carry spare change (because of panhandlers) for parking meters.

On the very few occasions I have visited the downtown core and paid for parking, I noticed some of the meters were not printing the correct start time on my ticket.

I put a dime in the meter at 10:49 a.m. The printed ticket said I had purchased it at 10:36 a.m., leaving me 1 minute in which to wait and pick the boxes of food up.

I was terrified the entire time that the "ticket police" that do their job so efficiently here, would swoop down and fine me.

If Kelowna really is serious about truly revitalizing the downtown core, get rid of the paid parking on the street.

I am bewildered as to why a town of this population with a relatively small downtown core does not have more parkades.

The parkades should charge parking fees for their use, but make street parking free again for those who just want to do a 20 minute shopping trip. Limited space means going vertical.

David A. Linge