Whistler Real Estate Co Ltd, #137- 4370 Lorimer Road, Whistler, BC V0N 1B4

Two months after pay parking in all Day Lots was implemented, and just two weeks after the new Whistler council took office, Lots 4 and 5 are once again free to use as of Wednesday (Dec. 21).

Not only that, but all Village Day Lots will be free to park in after 5 p.m. daily, and monthly passes are now available for those wanting to park in Lots 1 to 3, which will also have a daily rate of $8.

The final decision was made by the Parking Lot Operating Committee — a group made up of two RMOW and two Whistler Blackcomb officials — and then unanimously endorsed by council at Tuesday’s (Dec. 20) council meeting.

The endorsement followed recommendations to bring back free parking made by the new council on Dec. 7, within 24 hours of taking office.

“This is a significant compromise, from my perspective — I campaigned heavily on free parking for Lots 2 to 5. Obviously this does not achieve what I had promised the community,” said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden at the previous meeting. “But in order to achieve some free parking it was necessary to compromise and that happens in politics. I am grateful that the rest of council…appears to have some agreement on this resolution and I’m very grateful for that and I’m sure the community will be as well as this was as very significant issue through the campaign.”

However, the operating committee did not fully embrace council’s directions, opting to make a few adjustments of their own to the new scheme.

One of those adjustments includes keeping Day Lot 1 at a daily rate of $8 rather than council’s proposed $15 a day.

“The $15 rate was problematic in a number of ways. It would have a negative perception, and with a rate twice as much as the comparable, it would mostly be an empty lot,” said Bob MacPherson general manager of community life for the RMOW who is also a member of the Parking Lot Operating Committee.

As for the passes, the operating committee has decided to offer one-, three- and six-month passes at the same rates that were previously offered for Lots 4 and 5. That means drivers will be able to park in Lots 1, 2 and 3 for $30 a month if they purchase a six-month pass.

And for those who had purchased passes for the now-free lots, they can either keep their passes for use in Lots 1 to 3 or obtain a pro-rated refund at municipal hall. Vehicle registration will be required to process the refunds.

“Refunds are something that’s possible, but not immediately possible,” said MacPherson. “We’re suggesting we could begin processing refunds on Jan. 9 and make those retroactive to Dec. 21.

“It would feel like a Christmas present. Being the Scrooge I am, this is a bit uncomfortable for me,” he joked.

The move to restore free parking in some lots wasn’t without opposition, however, as Sara Jennings, vice president of the Association of the Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE), encouraged council to reconsider their endorsement.

“I’m sad to see pay parking go, which is a step backwards in my opinion,” said Jennings, noting that pay parking would encourage more people to use transit. “The effects on the environment will not be good.”

It was something Wilhelm-Morden acknowledged, but looked at in a different light.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us to try and restore the bus schedules,” she said. “I don’t see it as a step backward at all — I see it as a recognition of other concerns for the community.”

The operating committee also pointed out that by reverting back to free parking, there will be $350,000 less pay parking revenue in municipal coffers next year. Municipal staff members estimate that about $645,000 in pay parking fees will be collected in 2012 under the new scheme.

But the new mayor doesn’t seem too worried about the reduced revenue.

“I’m not going to call $300,000 chump change in a $77 million budget, but I’m confident we’ll find the funds,” said Wilhelm-Morden

Christopher Poon

Whistler Question