FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prince George, B.C. – At Monday night’s meeting, Prince George City Council received an update on the parking modernization study from Manager of Transportation Planning at LEA Consulting, Robert Keel.
The study makes 25 recommendations and provides comment on a possible implementation strategy to improve the parking experience for residents and visitors in both the downtown and hospital parking zones. Staff will now review the recommendations and provide Council with options for implementation with the intent to minimize disruption to residents and businesses while being effective in terms of timing, cost, and resources.
Recommendations within the report are wide-ranging, including plans for parking in the Civic Core District, improving safety and security in City off-street parking lots, and improving signage and availability of accessible spots in the hospital zone as example.
Council heard that the study involved a background document review including the Official Community Plan and Civic Core District Plan, a best practice review from comparable municipalities in both B.C. and Alberta, a review of existing parking conditions, resident and interested party feedback, and a review of crime prevention through environmental design principles to determine current deficiencies and identify opportunities.
Council discussed the potential risks and benefits of adjusting paid parking downtown, as well as changing the three-hour time for downtown free parking to two hours, like the hospital zone, as the report suggests.
The next phase includes an implementation plan for Council to vote on later in the year, focusing on implementing the short-term, low-cost goals including updating the existing bylaws and improving signage within the hospital zone. Requests for larger, more costly recommendations will be presented to the Finance and Audit Committee ahead of 2026 budget and capital plan deliberations this fall, or as part of future capital plan discussions.
“Working with LEA Consulting on the study has been a valuable experience for the City,” said Director of Administrative Services, Eric Depenau. “The usage surveys LEA conducted show that there are several areas where parking utilization is low, particularly in off-street lots, and gives clear recommendations on how our parking system may be best structured to meet future demands. Alongside advice for accessibility and security updates, we now have a much stronger vision to work towards”.
Get more information, including the project background, what we heard report, and recommendations from LEA Consulting, on the City website.
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Media contact:
Kendall Robertson, senior communications advisor
Mobile: 778-349-5393
Email: media@princegeorge.ca