It'll cost you

Photo: Kate Bouey

No more freebies for vehicles parking at Vernon's old Civic arena lot.

Starting Sept. 1, the city will begin charging parking fees. The paid parking coincides with a recreation fees and charges bylaw, which takes effect that date for all recreation programs and services.

Work will be done ahead of time to prepare the lot, including the installation of a ticket dispenser.

“The Civic arena parking lot is part of the recreation services envelope of facilities and services and receives no revenue from the lot, while being responsible for all of the costs associated with maintaining it, which includes grading, repairs, snow removal and regular clean up,” said Doug Ross, director of recreation services. “These costs are growing significantly and recreation services needs to look at ways that it can recoup some of these costs.”

Hours of paid parking will be Monday to Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Parking outside of these hours, weekends and during events at the Civic Arena will be free of charge. The fees for parking will be 50 cents per hour, $1 for two hours, $2 for four hours, $3 per day, $12 for a weekly pass and $43 for a monthly pass. Daily and weekly passes can be purchased at an onsite ticket dispenser and monthly passes can be purchased at city hall and the VernonRecreation Centre.

“The project to twin Kal Tire Place is currently in the design phase and use of the Civic as an arena will be discontinued when the new facility is completed in the fall of 2018,” said Ross. “The City will be engaging residents of Vernon to develop a plan for the future use of the Civic Arena block once the arena is decommissioned.”