Underdogs Restaurant Parking Becomes Paid Parking

Okay, it's not Underdog's parking lot. It isn't actually clear who owns the parking lot at 207 Thompson Drive between the strip mall on Portage Avenue and Prairie Spirit United Church but it has become a paid parking area. The 79 spots now require a cellphone app from Indigo Neo and the price is $2 a hour. A Sunday football marathon could set you back $10 if you are at the restaurant. Church goers just have to register in the church to get parking redeemed.

I am not sure there are any other paid parking lots in the St. James area except Grace Hospital. It is worth noting that the City of Winnipeg has been in discussions about how to extend paid street parking to city streets as well as a variety of expanded hours and surge pricing. This has landed with a thud but any paid parking plan usually falls flat. The city has very low rates annually for overnight parking in the city on the street versus private lots. Many park their cars on the street for unlimited times. It would come as a shock if paid parking spread from not just private lots but to public streets but this is likely something we might see more of.

Winnipeg is very much a car city. It remains to be seen if paid parking spreads and will affect consumer habits. Will only restaurants that own their parking remain? Will small businesses that lose street parking or have surge charge prices on it survive? Will it create a new public transit system or increased density? This is possible but given the timeline it took to get one transit corridor done and the fallout of changing the bus system, we can't rely on buses to get people out of their cars.  In some cases, the buses are just not there and never will be.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. As for me, I am close enough to walk.