Parking in Prince Rupert is not Racial, but Spatial

Parking regulations on McBride adjacent to the Civic Centre/Lester Centre
made for discussion at Monday's Council session

The topic of how the City enforces No Parking regulations got a short review at Monday's City Council session, the conversation piece introduced by Councillor Terri Forster, who spoke to a range of themes from residential parking niceties, to concerns from some that those attending the annual All Native Basketball Tournament have been singled out for Parking enforcement actions over the years.

"We talked about it last year right before All Native, we typically put up signs on McBride in front of the Civic Centre, limiting or reducing parking because there are so many people.

But we don't always constantly do that when the carnival comes to town, or when we have a large influx of people for a hockey game or different event.

And I'm just wondering how we could bring that parking type of thing into alignment. 

So either we're doing it for all big events and there's no Parking on McBride, or we're doing it more consistently so it's not just having people have a  feeling that it's only during All Native" 

That  element of a potential racial concern, was a theme that Mayor Pond picked up on 

"I've certainly seen the comments of concern that it may be a racial issue, right"

The answer to the query came from Director of Operations Richard Pucci who outlined how the city approaches the issue of enforcement, though noting that there is room for improvement on message making.

"I can assure you that it's not at all a racial issue, we do do it for a Dance Recital that comes to town and All Native, these are the ones that are planned well in advance and we know that there's typically going to be some parking issue or traffic concern.

The areas where we put up the No Parking, there isn't supposed to be parking there st any time, so you know in front of McDonalds after on the highway, people aren't supposed to park there.

We understand that there's likely some Celebrations of Life and other, Weddings, that come in and we aren't able you know to get out there in time, that people are parking in those areas.

So I think that working with the Recreation Centre a little bit more closely, we can probably do a little bit better and make sure that we restrict parking better.

Or put up larger signage in advance and keep them there all year long to indicate that there actually is No Parking here.

Larger No Parking Signs,and more of them, could soon be seen in the area
of the Civic Centre/Lester Centre to highlight No parking regulations 

The full tutorial on civic Parking policies around the Civic Centre gets a review through the City's Video archive starting at the 12:30  mark of the 37 minute council session.

A wider overview of the city Parking strategies can be found here.

More notes on Monday's Council session can be reviewed here.

Themes of interest from the Operations Department can be explored here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.