Pay parking is coming to more parks in the District of West Vancouver, but more drastic changes proposed for the busy Ambleside and Dundarave neighbourhoods have sparked some concerns among local businesses.
District of West Vancouver council unanimously voted in May 2023 to bring on a two-year-pilot project of paid parking to Lighthouse, Nelson Canyon and Whytecliffe parks to start Feb. 12, 2024. Visitors currently pay $5.22 per hour in the three district parks. In January of this year council waived the $27 annual fee for West Vancouver residents. The program has received some criticisms, with visitors required to use smartphone app-based payments for paid parking, sometimes facing spotty cell service.
In November of 2024, council considered a pay parking expansion plan that would add a combined 701 more pay parking spaces to Cypress Falls, Seaview Walk, Ambleside (including Argyle Avenue between 14th and 15th Street), John Lawson and Dundarave parks. During the Nov. 18 meeting, council pushed plans to a future date.
Council brought back the discussion in a Feb. 24 meeting, giving staff the thumbs up to go ahead with a plan to put pay parking in Cypress Falls and Seaview Walk parks soon, and hire a "parking program lead" to work with the Ambleside and Dundarave Business Improvement Association (ADBIA) on implementing paid parking in John Lawson and Dundarave parks in the future.
Members of ADBIA, however, shared worries about council's recent expansion plan for pay parking in John Lawson and Dundarave parks, saying the paid spots could drive money away from local businesses nearby.
"People that are coming to the parks and using our parks will park in our commercial area, not support our commercial businesses," said ADBIA executive director Maureen O'Brien. "And the people that are trying to support the local businesses will not be able to find that parking."
ADBIA are also asking District of West Vancouver council to increase parking enforcement for those overstaying the two-hour limit on nearby streets. The association is asking council to work with them in coming up with a solution that helps both parties.
"West Vancouver is still ... a very car-centric community. Our businesses rely on their clientele coming by car," O'Brien said.
Paid parking is also one step away in Ambleside Park after council directed staff to engage the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) about paid parking in the park and report back to council. Some of Ambleside Park resides on Squamish Nation land.
Councillors raise concerns about timelines
The majority of the debate at the Feb. 24 council meeting was focused on how fast a contractor could be hired to start implementing the paid parking expansion plan in John Lawson and Dundarave parks.
Coun. Christine Cassidy voted against the plan due to timeline concerns of hiring the parking program lead position. She said by the time the hiring process is completed and the person is up to speed on the affected business districts, it could be months before the rest of the plan goes through.
Staff said they would go into the hiring process immediately and hire someone as fast as possible.
Coun. Scott Snider said it’s unfair for council to put an unrealistic commitment on the municipal manager regarding the hiring process of the parking program lead position.
“We don’t know how many people are going to apply, what the role is. There is a number of things that have to go into finding a person,” Snider said. “I’m not prepared to necessarily [put] our municipal manager to a strict timeline. I take him at his word that everything will be done as soon as possible.”
Snider agreed that enforcement and communication in paid parking could be better, and something to think about moving forward into the program.
Coun. Linda Watt also echoed timeline concerns. The program can help save money for West Vancouver taxpayers, she said. As an example, Watt said $1 million in revenue can take off a percentage point in tax increases.
“Time is of the essence, and if we are engaging with the ADBIA, I also believe we should be engaging with the general population as well whose tax bills are impacted by this program and how quickly we can implement it,” Watt said.
More than $560,000 was collected from paid parking between February and September 2024 at Lighthouse, Nelson Canyon and Whytecliff parks as part of the paid-parking pilot program, according to a November 2024 staff presentation.
Ultimately the Feb. 24 vote to proceed with paid parking in Cypress Falls and Seaview Walk parks and to hire a contractor to work with ADBIA passed, with only Cassidy opposed.
Optimism moving forward, executive director says
For paid parking in John Lawson and Dundarave parks, O'Brien said the ADBIA is happy with council's recommendations to work with the association on a plan, adding that she hopes council's pledge to "work with" the association means there is real collaboration on the issue.
"They could turn around and say, 'Oh no, we just said we were going to work with you, but 'working with you' is telling you we're doing this,'" she said. "So I'm taking council at their word of what I understood it to be that night, and I hope I'm right."
While O'Brien doesn't know what a solution could be yet, she hopes something will work out for both the ADBIA and West Van council.
Staff will report back to council with progress or completion of the plans at a later date.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
[email protected]
https://x.com/abbyyluciano
https://bsky.app/profile/abbyluciano.bsky.social
Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
