The City of Burnaby will remove meters from 33 on-street parking spots near Burnaby Hospital in an effort to make life more convenient and affordable for some visitors.
Council voted unanimously Monday to make parking free on both sides of Ingleton Avenue (in the 3800 and 3900 blocks) and on the north side of Kincaid Street’s 3900 block. The meters will be replaced by signs indicating a two-hour parking limit.
But visitors will still have to pay to park on hospital grounds, where the city has no jurisdiction.
“It’s unfortunate we cannot do anything with the expensive parking on hospital grounds, but we can certainly address the parking issue on the adjacent streets,” Coun. Pietro Calendino said at the meeting.
The hospital charges $4.25 for the first hour of parking and $3.25 after that to a daily maximum of $11.25.
The city plans to increase parking rates from $1.50 per hour to $2 per hour at other metered spots in the area to offset the revenue lost to free parking.
“This would make it consistent with the parking meter rates in all other areas of the city and still remain well below the cost of parking at Burnaby Hospital,” the report says.
Coun. James Wang said, “I support this report but still have a little bit of concerns.”
The newly free spots will be in high demand and could be used by drivers visiting homes and businesses in the area, he said. But city staff said the new parking signs will indicate the spots are for hospital-use only.
