Once a bastion for stationary vehicles and a paradise of parking meter-free lots, Colwood may have established some of its first paid parking spaces.

And it is not a popular decision with some.

Onni, the developer for Colwood Corners, is behind the change. Starting March 1, tenants in the apartment buildings, as well as customers at the various stores, supermarkets, pharmacies or banks in the plaza, will have to register their licence plates using Indigo Parking, according to a letter sent by Onni to tenants of Colwood Corners.

The new policy is getting a soft launch, meaning starting March 1 people will be given warnings if they donB次元官网网址檛 register. After March turns to April, they risk being issued a ticket.

Parking is free for 90 minutes - after that, charges come into effect. Monthly parking is also available.

The decision is controversial. A Facebook post on the Colwood Community Association page features a number of angry commenters.

The change is enough to push View Royal resident Rick Baker, who lives just down the road, to shop elsewhere - calling the change B次元官网网址渞idiculous.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e never experienced anything like this in retail B次元官网网址� unless itB次元官网网址檚 an underground parkade or something like that where thereB次元官网网址檚 paid parking, but on an outdoor lot like this. IB次元官网网址檝e never experienced that.B次元官网网址�

Baker said he expected the change would hurt businesses in the area. When he was in the parking lot, he saw one family struggle to figure out the technology, and was reminded of his wifeB次元官网网址檚 parents who didnB次元官网网址檛 own a cell phone.

B次元官网网址淩emember the days you were in school, and then if one kid was in class and that person was bad, well your whole class stay after. This is that same kind of principle, maybe thereB次元官网网址檚 the odd person who does something goofy out there. But now weB次元官网网址檙e going to tag everybody with the onus of having to pay for parking because we canB次元官网网址檛 figure out a better way to deal with it. ItB次元官网网址檚 crazy.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the old one in 10. People complain, one person complains, and the people think itB次元官网网址檚 not a bad idea. But behind that is a bunch of people who quietly just walked away from your business.B次元官网网址�

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