Residents outraged at parking changes
City reduces restricted parking areas and institutes a permit fee for residents
Recent changes to Edmonton’s Residential Parking Program sparked frustration among Alberta Avenue and Parkdale residents. After neighbours shared their concerns with their city councillors, the city is now distributing a revised program.
The city administration’s new Residential Parking Program was accepted by the Urban Planning Committee on March 19, 2024. The new criteria would reduce the 19 current parking restriction areas to four.
The Northlands permit parking area will be eliminated altogether. The Commonwealth Stadium permit parking area will be reduced in size by 30 per cent. Parking restrictions will only apply up to 115 Avenue; football and other stadium event attendees will be able to park anywhere north of that boundary.
The two changes that infuriated residents the most were the extension of Stadium parking restrictions year-round instead of just on event days, and charging a $120 fee for the parking permit.
“This neighbourhood should not be penalized for the development of a stadium. We already bear the brunt of many inconveniences,” wrote Kiley Fithen, a Parkdale resident, in a letter to Councillor Ashley Salvador. “[A parking permit] is not mandatory, but as most people use curbside parking, this becomes another tax,” adds Alberta Avenue resident Howard Kowalchuk, addressing the councillor as well.
The Residential Parking Program was established in 1978 to manage street parking congestion in residential neighbourhoods near popular destinations, such as Commonwealth Stadium and Northlands. In the past, residents were still affected at times when both their own and their visitors' vehicles were ticketed or towed on game days.
The City of Edmonton shifted to Open Option Parking in 2020 and removed on-site parking requirements, leaving developers, homeowners, and businesses to decide how much parking to provide on their properties. This led the city to develop a Curbside Management Strategy, which included reviewing the Residential Parking Program.
“Commonwealth Stadium has the capacity to attract 60,000 people in the space of a few hours to events that feature the widespread sale of alcohol,” says Allan Bolstad, civics director at the Alberta Avenue Community League (AACL).
“When people leave these events, the party often migrates to the neighbouring streets, bringing a good deal of noise and people confusing boulevard trees, residential fences and garbage cans as convenient places to go to the bathroom.”
Residents and community leagues alike felt blindsided by the changes. Parkdale Cromdale Community League (PCCL) volunteers distributed flyers in mailboxes encouraging residents to write to city councillors about the issue.
“The impending changes clearly do not serve the residents,” says Kristina Palmer, president of PCCL.
After receiving numerous complaints from residents and requests from both PCCL and AACL for meetings, Coun. Ashley Salvador met online with community leaders to discuss the issue. Salvador agreed that the Stadium parking needs were unique and shared that she was advocating for changes.
Bolstad also points out that, when Commonwealth Stadium was built, it was done so with the idea that it would be a transit-oriented facility. “The city seems to think that visitors will attempt to find an LRT station and pay the fare, as opposed to parking their car a scant six-minute walk from the stadium.”
In response to the complaints, the city reverted the revised program back to being event-based and the fee was dropped to $30.
Palmer agrees that streets without parking restrictions will fill up with football goers. Even though the parking fee was reduced from $120 to $30, she says: “A fairer approach would be to collect a small levy from the Edmonton Elks and other stadium users to cover the cost of the parking program and enforcement activities.”
Current permits expire on May 31. The Elks Football game on June 8 will be the first event under the revised program. Bolstad and Palmer encourage residents to report all issues related to stadium events to 311, and copy the community leagues.
STREET PARKING PROGRAM AFTER REVISION
Parking permits needed to park on the street during a stadium event.
Restricted area: south of 115 Ave to LRT from 83 St to 94 St
Maximum permits per household: 2
No visitor parking
Digital permit through HotSpot Mobile.
Permit feet: $30 a year per vehicle. The fee is being waived for 2024.
The Commonwealth Events Calendar at edmonton.ca/CommonwealthEvents (scroll to the bottom of the page) shows dates of events and parking restriction times. The section “view parking restrictions and impacts” displays the map and further information. The calendar currently lists 18 events between May and November.
HOW TO REPORT ISSUES RELATED TO STADIUM EVENTS
Call 311 or go to 311.edmonton.ca and click on “Submit a Request”
Scroll to bottom and click on Service Feedback under “Other Inquiries.”
Start your description with “Stadium Parking.” Select Area: Other.
Email your community league:
AACL info@albertaave.org
PCCL info@parkdalecromdale.org
 | A guest post by
|
Well written, clear and useful article. Thank you.