July 1st "Parking Authority open house" report highlights:
* The Osborne Village Parking survey is largely unknown to area residents
* 24 hour a day paid parking was experimented with on the inner-cities poorest streets, under the false premise that the city did consultations with residents;
* the WPA has been part and parcel of the Bike Lobby attempts to seize control of city streets from residents and drivers;
* Numerous contradictions between the information provided by Dave Hill at the Exchange Biz open house (reported yesterday), and the July 1st open house. "The problem isn't the questions, it's getting the answers"
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From: Kim the Traffic Reporter
* The Osborne Village Parking survey is largely unknown to area residents
* 24 hour a day paid parking was experimented with on the inner-cities poorest streets, under the false premise that the city did consultations with residents;
* the WPA has been part and parcel of the Bike Lobby attempts to seize control of city streets from residents and drivers;
* Numerous contradictions between the information provided by Dave Hill at the Exchange Biz open house (reported yesterday), and the July 1st open house. "The problem isn't the questions, it's getting the answers"
**************
From: Kim the Traffic Reporter
To: talk@kick.fm
Subject: Re: July 1 Osborne parking survey open house
Subject: Re: July 1 Osborne parking survey open house
On July 1st at about 1pm I was headed down Osborne from River headed for the Osborne Parking Survey open house. There was already a huge amount of people in the Osborne Village. As I approached the Stradbrook lot I noted a couple of rows of books for sale. Got to the lot, for the open house and couldn't find it. I saw recycling bins and port-a-potties in the lot, but nothing for the survey.
Went back out of the lot and looked around, didn't see any signs telling me they were in the vicinity. Went back into the lot and spoke with a couple of Police Officers, who were kind enough to point out a table under the trees at the front of the lot, near the books.
I recognized MMM Group Project Manager David Patman and then I realized I had stood just behind the table when I was looking around and still hadn't noticed the survey people. I thought the people at the table where looking after the books.
I approached the front of the table and noted that only a about 2ft tall sign that said Parking Authority on it, was the only indication for the survey. There were three consultants available from MMM Group and two representatives from the Parking Authority, one of whom I know has enforcement experience.
- I asked David Patman if they had been busy and was told that it was off and on, paper copies of the survey was on hand for people to fill out. However, in the time I was at the table only a couple of people approached, one of whom wanted to know if they were handling the sale of the books.
In fact, someone I knew went to take the survey, he walked past the table..twice. Then he had to call me to finally find the survey table. The other two or three people only wanted to speak with the Parking Authority.
My friend filled out the survey, after he finally found the table, telling me that he could find no purpose and simply didn't understand the survey. That there was no information as to what they (Osborne Biz and the Parking Authority) wanted to do, the survey was "confusing and didn't make any sense".
- My friend did stop to speak briefly with the Parking Authority about the $40.00 coupon booklet people could purchase, the coupons act as a permit allowing one to park for increments of two to four hours without having to plug the meter. My friend thought this was "silly". He was told that for more information you can check out the website. My friend asked "what if you don't have a computer?" According to my friend, the only response he received was a "blank look".
- I spoke with the member representing the Parking Authority, who would only identify himself as Henry.
One question which has recently been raised on the Great Canadian Talk Show is whether or not people have to cross a street to purchase a paystation receipt if the machine is broken or isn't one on the side of a street where a person is parked.
I asked Henry that very same question, his response was "yes, people have to cross the street, that's what we tell them".
Yet a couple of days previously I had contacted the Parking Authority dispatcher, asking the same question, the response was "no" -- that people didn't have to cross the street or go to another block to get a receipt.
This means that if the paystation is broken or if there are signs for paid parking, yet no machine, people still have to go in search of a machine for a receipt or risk being ticketed.
Although Marty Gold has raised the question, is the City or the Winnipeg Parking Authority going to assume the responsibility if someone should be injured if they have to hunt down a functional paystation? Interesting question.
- I asked Henry about the 12 hour paid parking on some streets in the Exchange District. Henry did admit that there are thoughts of putting more 12 hour machines in place, Henry then admitted that those machines are actually 24 hours a day Monday through Saturday. Paid parking is in 12 hour increments with a paid maximum of $8.00.
Yet on April 22/10 the Exchange District Biz had a members-only coffee meeting with Dave Hill the COO of the Parking Authority. In that meeting I asked Hill if the Parking Authority or the City would support paid overnight parking on residential streets, Hill's response was "I don't think there is any paid overnight parking in the City".
I asked if the Parking Authority would support paid metered overnight parking, Hill's reply was "if there was a need and was asked to do it, but I don't think there is currently a need".
At the time of that meeting there was paid overnight parking on Ross, Duncan, Galt and George all of which are in residential areas.
- I asked Henry about consultation and if people on Fountain, Ellen or other residential streets that had received paystations, what notice were those people given? Were they consulted? Henry responded that "they had talked to people in that area" and the businesses and residents had been informed by City Council or their councillors.
Now, I've spoken with numerous people on those streets and was told that the only indications they had about the paystations was when they went up. In fact, the businesses along Logan knew nothing about these stations.
Cheers restaurant at Fountain and Logan knew nothing about these machines, when this business raised questions about why the meters were put in the response was the meters were put in because of the WRHA building, on Main Street. Not one person with whom I'd spoken knew anything about these paystations.
- I asked about the proposed bike lanes throughout the city and if the Parking Authority had been consulted about any of these plans. Henry replied that "yes the bike lanes are going in" and that "the Parking Authority has been consulted because this involves parking".
At the Apr. 22/10 Exchange Biz "coffee with the parking guy" meeting, I asked Dave Hill about on-street parking for bikes and he suggested that the Parking Authority "work with Active Transportation to find some spots to put some temporary platforms with some bike racks, similar to what is seen in Europe."
Belinda Squance of the Ellice Cafe mentioned several times in interviews on the Great Canadian Talk Show that she asked Dave Hill if the Parking Authority had been consulted or informed of the new bike lane plans for Sherbrook. According to Belinda Squance, the answer was "no". That Hill had never been consulted regarding Sherbrook.
This information was also mentioned at the June 8th meeting at City Hall regarding the bike lane issues on Sherbrook.
- Was this "open house" a success? Likely there were quite a few people who filled out the survey. After all there was thousands upon thousands of people in the Village for the Canada Day celebrations. Yet the question must be asked, was this a fair representation of the residents and regular visitors to the Osborne area? How many of the people attending were on Osborne for the sole purpose of the celebrations?
I spoke with many people along the side streets who knew nothing of this survey or it's purpose. People who live in the community and never knew anything about this parking survey.
After all for any of the Biz organizations, their first priority is going to be to the members of that Biz, be it Osborne, Downtown, Exchange etc.
Those Biz's are not there for the general community but for the membership of those organizations. So it is not very surprising that residents had no knowledge of a survey that could very well involve paid parking in their neighbourhoods.
- Another question to raise is if the Osborne area gets metered parking, how will this affect Corydon? After all you can't look at one area and forget the other. How far would metered parking be allowed on the streets. You can't park on Osborne until after 7pm any day of the week. So if the residential streets receive meters, how will that affect the parking situation around Corydon, which is an already congested area, as people seek unpaid parking?
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Kim's Thoughts:
I have to wonder how many people actually planned on showing up to take that survey. We can't count my friend as I asked him to take it. Which raises another issue..finding the "open house". I knew where it was supposed to be and couldn't find it. I
My friend who doesn't know the area very well, walked past the survey table TWICE before with my help, finding it. And he was looking for this table.
So I do have to wonder how representative of the community this survey truly is, at the first open house there were 10 to 12 people. At the Canada Day celebrations, how many people filled out the survey just because it happened to be there while they waited in line?
But as I was told "see the Parking Authority is here".
Only problem is, we are being given conflicting information:
* Yes you have to cross the street to purchase a paystation receipt or no you don't have to?
* Is there a definitive policy on the issue of crossing the street or going to another block to find a working paystation?
* Did Dave Hill yes know about the bike lanes that are being proposed all over the city or no Hill never knew about the plans for Sherbrook? Yet Hill has been talking to the Active Transportation Advisory Committee about bike parking.
After this survey, will the Osborne Biz and the Parking Authority say that people have been "consulted"? That they had "open houses"? If one could...well...find them. The first open house took me 15 minutes to find. Unless you knew exactly where you were going you weren't going to find this place, I had to stop and ask for directions. I couldn't find the second one and I was looking for it. Even the Police Officers had to smile at the expression on my face when they told me where to find what I was seeking.
Lots of questions with more to be raised I'm sure. The problem isn't the questions, it's getting the answers. We wait to see how the community responds to the parking issues in their neighbourhoods.
Went back out of the lot and looked around, didn't see any signs telling me they were in the vicinity. Went back into the lot and spoke with a couple of Police Officers, who were kind enough to point out a table under the trees at the front of the lot, near the books.
I recognized MMM Group Project Manager David Patman and then I realized I had stood just behind the table when I was looking around and still hadn't noticed the survey people. I thought the people at the table where looking after the books.
I approached the front of the table and noted that only a about 2ft tall sign that said Parking Authority on it, was the only indication for the survey. There were three consultants available from MMM Group and two representatives from the Parking Authority, one of whom I know has enforcement experience.
- I asked David Patman if they had been busy and was told that it was off and on, paper copies of the survey was on hand for people to fill out. However, in the time I was at the table only a couple of people approached, one of whom wanted to know if they were handling the sale of the books.
In fact, someone I knew went to take the survey, he walked past the table..twice. Then he had to call me to finally find the survey table. The other two or three people only wanted to speak with the Parking Authority.
My friend filled out the survey, after he finally found the table, telling me that he could find no purpose and simply didn't understand the survey. That there was no information as to what they (Osborne Biz and the Parking Authority) wanted to do, the survey was "confusing and didn't make any sense".
- My friend did stop to speak briefly with the Parking Authority about the $40.00 coupon booklet people could purchase, the coupons act as a permit allowing one to park for increments of two to four hours without having to plug the meter. My friend thought this was "silly". He was told that for more information you can check out the website. My friend asked "what if you don't have a computer?" According to my friend, the only response he received was a "blank look".
- I spoke with the member representing the Parking Authority, who would only identify himself as Henry.
One question which has recently been raised on the Great Canadian Talk Show is whether or not people have to cross a street to purchase a paystation receipt if the machine is broken or isn't one on the side of a street where a person is parked.
I asked Henry that very same question, his response was "yes, people have to cross the street, that's what we tell them".
Yet a couple of days previously I had contacted the Parking Authority dispatcher, asking the same question, the response was "no" -- that people didn't have to cross the street or go to another block to get a receipt.
This means that if the paystation is broken or if there are signs for paid parking, yet no machine, people still have to go in search of a machine for a receipt or risk being ticketed.
Although Marty Gold has raised the question, is the City or the Winnipeg Parking Authority going to assume the responsibility if someone should be injured if they have to hunt down a functional paystation? Interesting question.
- I asked Henry about the 12 hour paid parking on some streets in the Exchange District. Henry did admit that there are thoughts of putting more 12 hour machines in place, Henry then admitted that those machines are actually 24 hours a day Monday through Saturday. Paid parking is in 12 hour increments with a paid maximum of $8.00.
Yet on April 22/10 the Exchange District Biz had a members-only coffee meeting with Dave Hill the COO of the Parking Authority. In that meeting I asked Hill if the Parking Authority or the City would support paid overnight parking on residential streets, Hill's response was "I don't think there is any paid overnight parking in the City".
I asked if the Parking Authority would support paid metered overnight parking, Hill's reply was "if there was a need and was asked to do it, but I don't think there is currently a need".
At the time of that meeting there was paid overnight parking on Ross, Duncan, Galt and George all of which are in residential areas.
- I asked Henry about consultation and if people on Fountain, Ellen or other residential streets that had received paystations, what notice were those people given? Were they consulted? Henry responded that "they had talked to people in that area" and the businesses and residents had been informed by City Council or their councillors.
Now, I've spoken with numerous people on those streets and was told that the only indications they had about the paystations was when they went up. In fact, the businesses along Logan knew nothing about these stations.
Cheers restaurant at Fountain and Logan knew nothing about these machines, when this business raised questions about why the meters were put in the response was the meters were put in because of the WRHA building, on Main Street. Not one person with whom I'd spoken knew anything about these paystations.
- I asked about the proposed bike lanes throughout the city and if the Parking Authority had been consulted about any of these plans. Henry replied that "yes the bike lanes are going in" and that "the Parking Authority has been consulted because this involves parking".
At the Apr. 22/10 Exchange Biz "coffee with the parking guy" meeting, I asked Dave Hill about on-street parking for bikes and he suggested that the Parking Authority "work with Active Transportation to find some spots to put some temporary platforms with some bike racks, similar to what is seen in Europe."
Belinda Squance of the Ellice Cafe mentioned several times in interviews on the Great Canadian Talk Show that she asked Dave Hill if the Parking Authority had been consulted or informed of the new bike lane plans for Sherbrook. According to Belinda Squance, the answer was "no". That Hill had never been consulted regarding Sherbrook.
This information was also mentioned at the June 8th meeting at City Hall regarding the bike lane issues on Sherbrook.
- Was this "open house" a success? Likely there were quite a few people who filled out the survey. After all there was thousands upon thousands of people in the Village for the Canada Day celebrations. Yet the question must be asked, was this a fair representation of the residents and regular visitors to the Osborne area? How many of the people attending were on Osborne for the sole purpose of the celebrations?
I spoke with many people along the side streets who knew nothing of this survey or it's purpose. People who live in the community and never knew anything about this parking survey.
After all for any of the Biz organizations, their first priority is going to be to the members of that Biz, be it Osborne, Downtown, Exchange etc.
Those Biz's are not there for the general community but for the membership of those organizations. So it is not very surprising that residents had no knowledge of a survey that could very well involve paid parking in their neighbourhoods.
- Another question to raise is if the Osborne area gets metered parking, how will this affect Corydon? After all you can't look at one area and forget the other. How far would metered parking be allowed on the streets. You can't park on Osborne until after 7pm any day of the week. So if the residential streets receive meters, how will that affect the parking situation around Corydon, which is an already congested area, as people seek unpaid parking?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kim's Thoughts:
I have to wonder how many people actually planned on showing up to take that survey. We can't count my friend as I asked him to take it. Which raises another issue..finding the "open house". I knew where it was supposed to be and couldn't find it. I
My friend who doesn't know the area very well, walked past the survey table TWICE before with my help, finding it. And he was looking for this table.
So I do have to wonder how representative of the community this survey truly is, at the first open house there were 10 to 12 people. At the Canada Day celebrations, how many people filled out the survey just because it happened to be there while they waited in line?
But as I was told "see the Parking Authority is here".
Only problem is, we are being given conflicting information:
* Yes you have to cross the street to purchase a paystation receipt or no you don't have to?
* Is there a definitive policy on the issue of crossing the street or going to another block to find a working paystation?
* Did Dave Hill yes know about the bike lanes that are being proposed all over the city or no Hill never knew about the plans for Sherbrook? Yet Hill has been talking to the Active Transportation Advisory Committee about bike parking.
After this survey, will the Osborne Biz and the Parking Authority say that people have been "consulted"? That they had "open houses"? If one could...well...find them. The first open house took me 15 minutes to find. Unless you knew exactly where you were going you weren't going to find this place, I had to stop and ask for directions. I couldn't find the second one and I was looking for it. Even the Police Officers had to smile at the expression on my face when they told me where to find what I was seeking.
Lots of questions with more to be raised I'm sure. The problem isn't the questions, it's getting the answers. We wait to see how the community responds to the parking issues in their neighbourhoods.
