Land near the Langford transit exchange on Station Avenue is being used as an unofficial park and ride. That much is clear from the mass of cars parked in the gravel area.
City resident and nearby business owner Ed Pitcher thinks it should be turned into one, however, and heB次元官网网址檇 like someone to step up and make it happen.
Pitcher claims that during rainy periods B次元官网网址� or the infrequent snowfalls B次元官网网址� the area essentially becomes a mud bog. HeB次元官网网址檚 looking for some initiative to be taken on creating an official park and ride, since people are clearly using it for that purpose.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an eyesore,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淟angford is becoming the nicest community in the south end of the Island, and itB次元官网网址檚 an eyesore right in the middle of it. It sure doesnB次元官网网址檛 enhance the businesses in the area. In fact, IB次元官网网址檇 say it downgrades them.B次元官网网址�
He also thinks there should have been better planning when the location of the transit hub was relocated to Station Avenue from the Westshore Town Centre.
B次元官网网址淲hoB次元官网网址檚 the goofball that planned this thing in the first place?B次元官网网址� Pitcher asks rhetorically. B次元官网网址淲hy wasnB次元官网网址檛 there some thought put into putting a Park and Ride in when it was moved there?B次元官网网址�
Meribeth Burton of B.C. Transit says itB次元官网网址檚 up to whomever owns the land to build such facilities, not Transit.
The City of Langford could lease or purchase the land from the Island Corridor Foundation to create a more permanent and dedicated parking area, says Mayor Stew Young, but he adds that wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be a good use of taxpayer money. They would likely have to spend tax dollars to build a facility and would be forced to recoup the cost through parking charges, something he has no interest in doing, he says.
B次元官网网址淩ight now, people get to park there for free, so theyB次元官网网址檙e using it. I would, too,B次元官网网址� he says, laughing. B次元官网网址淲e could probably get a long-term lease and pave it. But that would cost money, so weB次元官网网址檇 have to charge people for the use of it, and the incentive to park out here and take the bus would be gone.B次元官网网址�
The city tries to add parking B次元官网网址渋n bits and pieces when we can afford it,B次元官网网址� Young says, noting that the cost of those parking spaces comes out of commercial property tax collected by the city, a strategy that requires no recouping the cost from users.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e certainly trying to get more parking for people, but our priority is parking for people who are here,B次元官网网址� he says, not the people who are leaving their cars here and going elsewhere.
Next on the parking list is a major parkade somewhere in downtown Langford, he adds, B次元官网网址渟o that people can park and walk everywhere downtown and have a better experience in our area. Right now, thereB次元官网网址檚 just not enough parking, but we need to do it when we can afford it.B次元官网网址�
The long and short of it, Young says, is that people should make use of the free parking while they can. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 foresee a change in ownership of that property any time soon, B次元官网网址渋f ever,B次元官网网址� but itB次元官网网址檚 entirely possible that the property owners will decide to pave it and charge user fees.
B次元官网网址淚 think people should be careful what they wish for.B次元官网网址�
At the very least, Pitcher would like to see a poll of some kind conducted among the people who are using the area as a park and ride already to see if theyB次元官网网址檇 be willing to pay for a better lot.
B次元官网网址淚 know IB次元官网网址檇 be willing to pay $20 a month or whatever, if I knew my car was going to be where I left it and there would be a spot there for me every day, or five days a week or whatever. Some people IB次元官网网址檝e talked to say the same thing.B次元官网网址�
Whatever happens, Pitcher says it needs to be addressed, B次元官网网址渧ery seriously and very soon.B次元官网网址�
