Halifax parkade rate hikes will ‘protect tenants and customers’: Business association

CITYnews halifax / By Chris Halef

A popular downtown Halifax parkade has jacked up its prices, nearly tripling its daily maximum rate.

The parkade at Park Lane Mall on Spring Garden Road, which is operated by Universal Group, is now charging $40 as its daily maximum rate.

That increase is up from the previous rates of between $10 to $15 dollars.

Sue Uteck, the executive director of the Spring Garden Area Business Association, told Nova Scotia Today that the price hike was excessive, but was enacted with Park Lane Mall tenants in mind.

“It’s protected their tenants that want to use it or people that are just customers shopping at Park Lane or Spring Garden Place that often can’t get in, there’s not place to park, bacause people working in the area were parking there all day.”

Uteck says she understands the public’s frustrations, but she adds there are several other places people can park in the Spring Garden area that offer cheaper daily max rates.

“I think it is over 1,500 spaces (that are) all within two-and-a-half blocks of each other, starting between $2 and $2.50 an hour.”

In March, the municipality’s budget committee approved a 25 per cent increase to parking fees as well as a motion to ban free parking on Saturdays, including in the Spring Garden Road area.

With files from Steve Gow, CityNews Halifax