Free LRT parking is back in april!

[kvg]

I just heard something about on the radio that city council is making LRT parking free again as of next April.:clap:

[l/l/rX]

i just read it in the herald! yayer! go nenshi!

[Team_Mclaren]

why wait till April??

[kvg]

Now will they just move the pay parking machines or sell them?

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren
why wait till April??
Restructure cpa staff who were monitoring the park n ride lots. Remove the machines, establish reserved parking and payment programs (if you want to pay you'll get the best parking spots in the lot).

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2

Restructure cpa staff who were monitoring the park n ride lots. Remove the machines, establish reserved parking and payment programs (if you want to pay you'll get the best parking spots in the lot).

- you can do all that without charging people at the mean time as well...

[syeve]

Also, he got rid of that proposed 1.7M gym, I couldn't be happier AND gave away the "mayor SUV" and told them to get him something cheaper. I could not care less if grandstanding, he is making the moves that will garner him respect and encourage people to vote for a cadidate that is best for the job.

[Dave P]

Gay, Its hard enough to get a spot in the mornings. I rather pay and have less users.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


- you can do all that without charging people at the mean time as well...

ya good point. Also glad to hear the mayor SUV is going. There is no reason why the mayor needs to have the city buy him a $75 000 SUV.

[Euro838]

Originally posted by Dave P
Gay, Its hard enough to get a spot in the mornings. I rather pay and have less users.

+1 Agreed!

They should have actually expanded it to all bus lots too! Don't understand why people that do not use the lots, should subsidize those that do.

Oh well, back to the overcrowdedness of LRT lots again!

[shadowz]

Originally posted by Dave P
Gay, Its hard enough to get a spot in the mornings. I rather pay and have less users.

I saw him mentioning on TV the other night that there would be alotted space for those who wanted to pay that is closer to the train. Not sure if that went through or not

[dirtsniffer]

haha ya, why are people happy that its free exactly? so those people who start work at 6 am have a free place to park? in the south people coming in from okotoks/high river have all the lots filled by 7

[kaput]

.

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
haha ya, why are people happy that its free exactly? so those people who start work at 6 am have a free place to park? in the south people coming in from okotoks/high river have all the lots filled by 7

wow you guys are hard to please....

perhaps if you are worry that there isnt a spot for you, get in eariler? move?

and if you wanna pay, get a monthly spot dt?

[msommers]

The point of removing the fee is to encourage people to use transit rather than drive. As far as I know, that target has and will be met again. Fucking deal with it.

[kvg]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


wow you guys are hard to please....

perhaps if you are worry that there isnt a spot for you, get in eariler? move?

and if you wanna pay, get a monthly spot dt?

No kidding. You could pay for the reserved parking they are gonna have.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren
wow you guys are hard to please....

No doubt.

But I like the news coming from City Hall lately. 1% less on tax raise. No parking fees @ CT. Cutting his own budget. That's leading by example.

Did you catch Lowe and Pincott trying to stop Nenshi on lowering Mayor office expenses? Probably becasue they don't want to lose them when they run for Mayor. I'm not sure how they get voted in. These 2 doesn't have a expense they don't like.

[BokCh0y]

I couldn't understand the point of implementing the parking fee before...other than as a cash grab.

City tries to promote transit. So what did the previous council do? Raise bus fare and charge a fee to park in the lots. How does that promote using transit? Lots were empty most of the time instead. :facepalm:

Yay for Nenshi for eliminating the parking fee!!! I'd be fine with taking the bus again now and parking in the lot. Sucks that I have to get there earlier and fight for a spot, but whatever. That's still a saving each month which does add up over the year.

:clap:



Originally posted by Xtrema


No doubt.

But I like the news coming from City Hall lately. 1% less on tax raise. No parking fees @ CT. Cutting his own budget. That's leading by example.

Did you catch Lowe and Pincott trying to stop Nenshi on lowering Mayor office expenses? Probably becasue they don't want to lose them when they run for Mayor. I'm not sure how they get voted in. These 2 doesn't have a expense they don't like.

I really dislike Lowe. I voted against him the previous election and if i still lived his ward, i woulda voted against him again. Lowe is one of the biggest idiots next to Farrell.

[kenny]

Originally posted by Xtrema
But I like the news coming from City Hall lately. 1% less on tax raise.

Are you actually happy about a 1% difference in property tax hike? Do you realize at the end of the day what a petty amount that is?

I wish the property tax hike was higher so the City could provide better services for everyone.

[FraserB]

Him not driving the SUV is only symbolic in nature. A new car for him is going to cost in the neighborhood of $35,000. So instead of diving what is already bought, they are going to spend more simply to appear like they are doing something better

[chkolny541]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


- you can do all that without charging people at the mean time as well...
they wouldnt be able to just drop the fee immediately as they are fighting to trim back a huge deficit as it is, the parking is a source of income and trimming it immediately would only increase this deficit. Sort of digging themselves farther into a hole. By doing it in april they hope to have the deficit in control and thus this can safely be trimmed without any major additional budget cuts. of course im no economist nor a politician, this is just how i see the situation.

[dino_martini]

Originally posted by FraserB
Him not driving the SUV is only symbolic in nature. A new car for him is going to cost in the neighborhood of $35,000. So instead of diving what is already bought, they are going to spend more simply to appear like they are doing something better

What? I'm pretty sure Nenshi is going to be driving his Corolla. Atleast that is what I read in the paper.

[Feruk]

First off, I think getting him a cheaper car is symbolic, nothing more. $75K is peanuts compared to the city budget, not even worth a look.

As for getting rid of fees at the parking lots, it makes sense. My only problem is that the city will have the same costs but lower income. I'd like to see this elimination of fees come with a big cut in Calgary Parking Authority jobs as well to balance out the costs.

[Joel_D]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
in the south people coming in from okotoks/high river have all the lots filled by 7

What they should do is have the guy's that drive around with parking camera scan license plates and send a monthly bill to those people who have a registered plate outside of the Calgary.

[SOAB]

Originally posted by Feruk
First off, I think getting him a cheaper car is symbolic, nothing more. $75K is peanuts compared to the city budget, not even worth a look.

As for getting rid of fees at the parking lots, it makes sense. My only problem is that the city will have the same costs but lower income. I'd like to see this elimination of fees come with a big cut in Calgary Parking Authority jobs as well to balance out the costs.

so how much money is "worth a look" to you? is it$100K? 1M?


it all adds up so i'd say every little bit counts.

[quick_scar]

From what I understand the "Mayor SUV" is not purchased, but rather leased.... At something like $1300/month. Trading the lease in, and selecting something else (like a new camry hybrid) would mean savings each month on the lease, as well as still keeping the "green" image with the hybrid.

[Mitsu3000gt]

If they want to make people use transit they need to do more than just remove parking fares. They need to make the ride fees cheaper (given the level of service), and increase reliability/quality of service. Looking back, I'd have to run the numbers, but I think I could have paid for monthly parking downtown for less money than transit has cost me by making me late for work over the years plus the cost of bus passes.

I don't think it's so much the cost that keep people off of transit, but just how incredibly shitty it is. The quality of service, cleanliness, and most importantly reliability is so low I don't even know what words to use to describe it. I think most people would happily pay more *IF* it was reliable, somewhat clean, etc.

At least removing park & ride fees are a step in the right direction, but if Nenshi wants transit to be a PREFERRED method of travel, it needs a 110% overhaul, in every way imaginable.

[rage2]

Originally posted by kenny
Are you actually happy about a 1% difference in property tax hike? Do you realize at the end of the day what a petty amount that is?
$20 a year! :rofl:

[.jl-]

Right when I'm done school =(

[syeve]

Originally posted by Feruk
First off, I think getting him a cheaper car is symbolic, nothing more. $75K is peanuts compared to the city budget, not even worth a look.

There is an old saying - Take care of the pennies and the dollars look after themselves.

[Anomaly]

Originally posted by Joel_D


What they should do is have the guy's that drive around with parking camera scan license plates and send a monthly bill to those people who have a registered plate outside of the Calgary.

Yea. F*ck students.

[rc2002]

Nenshi is an idiot.

All his socialist ideas are annoying. He wants to apply property tax people based on income. He wants non-transit users to shoulder more of the costs to subsidize transit users. Where are all his stupid ideas coming from?

And the reduction in property taxes by 1% means dick all. It only saves me 30 some dollars a year.

He should be doing something about traffic. I would gladly pay 10% more property tax if I can reduce my wait time in traffic.

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by richardchan2002
Nenshi is an idiot.

All his socialist ideas are annoying. He wants to apply property tax people based on income. He wants non-transit users to shoulder more of the costs to subsidize transit users. Where are all his stupid ideas coming from?

And the reduction in property taxes by 1% means dick all. It only saves me 30 some dollars a year.

He should be doing something about traffic. I would gladly pay 10% more property tax if I can reduce my wait time in traffic.

Do you know what helps ease traffic congestion? Getting more people using public transit.

[rc2002]

You know what else helps ease traffic congestion? More taxes and more roads. More city engineers monitoring light timing. More innovation like the 5th avenue connector.

Calgary transit sucks. Why force people to use it?

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by richardchan2002
You know what else helps ease traffic congestion? More taxes and more roads. More city engineers monitoring light timing. More innovation like the 5th avenue connector.

Calgary transit sucks. Why force people to use it?

Who's being forced to use it?

And what kind of idiot are you to bash up Nenshi's "socialist" ideas when your plan is for higher taxes and large public works projects?



A 10% property tax increase wouldn't help road construction and renovation. a 25% property tax increase would hardly put a dent in it either. The only place where the capital can be acquired to have meaningful traffic projects is from the provincial and federal governments. Are you willing to accept a 10% increase on your income taxes?

[msommers]

The heart of the problem regarding road construction lies in the Calgarian mentality -- building out and not up. It would be great if more people used transit but many are waiting to see if it gets any better, all the while bitching if costs go up. It's a vicious cycle.

Changing the Calgarian mentality of public transit is going to be the toughest battle.

[Anomaly]

Originally posted by msommers


Changing the Calgarian mentality of public transit is going to be the toughest battle.


I don't think it's so much Calgarians mentality on transit, as it is that transit sucks in Calgary.

:poosie:

[lint]

Originally posted by richardchan2002
He wants non-transit users to shoulder more of the costs to subsidize transit users. Where are all his stupid ideas coming from?


With the current property tax model that you seem to prefer, inner city residents shoulder more of the costs to provide infrastructure to those out in the burbs.

[rc2002]

Originally posted by kertejud2


Who's being forced to use it?

And what kind of idiot are you to bash up Nenshi's "socialist" ideas when your plan is for higher taxes and large public works projects?



A 10% property tax increase wouldn't help road construction and renovation. a 25% property tax increase would hardly put a dent in it either. The only place where the capital can be acquired to have meaningful traffic projects is from the provincial and federal governments. Are you willing to accept a 10% increase on your income taxes?

Forced was a poor choice of word. Encouraged is probably better. But the point is exactly the same. People using transit are now being subsidized to do so. At least with the parking lot fees users were helping to pay for increased security and other related costs.

I'm not thinking on the same "grand" scale you are. A property tax increase of 10% would amount to a couple hundred bucks a year. And roads don't necessarily mean 6 lane freeways. They could mean extended turn bays, or additional lanes, or lane reversals during rush hour. A relatively small amount of money going to the right places could easily improve traffic flow. Maybe even moreso than getting people to ride transit. There are a lot of poorly implemented traffic signals, and poorly planned construction schedules. Additional staff in the proper departments would help with this.

[old&slow]

Originally posted by kenny


Are you actually happy about a 1% difference in property tax hike? Do you realize at the end of the day what a petty amount that is?



There's nothing petty about fees that continually add up to one large sum!

[rc2002]

Originally posted by lint


With the current property tax model that you seem to prefer, inner city residents shoulder more of the costs to provide infrastructure to those out in the burbs.

I suppose at the end of the day, taxpayers are all subsidizing something they don't use.

But there are steps in the right direction and steps in the wrong direction. Transit users paying for parking to chip in for the services they use is a step in the right direction. If this includes people who come in from neighboring towns to use the transit system then that's even better.

Likewise, I wouldn't mind seeing developers chipping in for infrastructure out in the burbs and passing costs onto the consumers. This might mitigate the urban sprawl problem.

[syeve]

Fact: Calgary traffic is fucking irrelevant compared to most major centers of 1 million plus.

Fact: Calgary roadways are not only better than most Canadian cities they blow the fucking doors off our nearest neighbors that deal with similar weather throught the winter ie. Edm, Sask, Regina, Winnipeg etc etc.

Fact: Feeding the beast that is city hall will not solve anything - RE: Improper bidding procedures, unauthorized habbitual spending by coucil and city mamagement. For the problems that Calgary does have, the idea of simply throwing money at it assumes a lot. Assumptions I don't care to make.

Nenshi understands that a clean sweet of coucil would have been a good start, but close examination of budgets accross the board is sufficent - spending habits that have gone un-noticed or not cared about for the past 10 years...

[Anomaly]

Originally posted by syeve
Fact: Calgary traffic is fucking irrelevant compared to most major centers of 1 million plus.



I agree with you on everything, but this.

It's more painful driving in Calgary than Houston, Atlanta, etc. I found at least in those cities, there is obviously large volumes of traffic, but at least it fucking moves and they have proper feeder lanes.

[syeve]

^^Yah, I do think you have to compare apples to apples though...in perfect driving conditions ie. middle of summer, I don't find our traffic to be that bad compared to the major centers I visit throughout the US and Canada. When is snows and the roads turn to shit, there is no doubt it slows significantly and becomes a huge headache, I doubt there is a "solution" to this no matter how much is spend or planned by the city.

[GOnSHO]

damnit! i thought iwas march!! im gonna get a ticket now :(

[msommers]

Bumping an old thread so everyone knows you're a doofus. Well done, sir.

[GOnSHO]

haha, yea..

my bad, just annoyed, i was almost positive it was march

[frinkprof]

Well, while this thread is handy, here is what I posted in the Calgary Public Transit Discussion Thread (http://forums.beyond.ca/st/325101/calgary-public-transit-discussion-thread/).


More information on the Park and Ride paid reservation system.


On April 4, Calgary Transit will implement a reserved parking program at some LRT park and ride lots. The cost to reserve a space will be $70 per month. The number of parking spaces set aside for reserved parking in each lot will be based on customer demand for each month up to a maximum of 50% of the spaces in each lot.
Calgary Transit was directed to begin implementation of this new service on the following schedule:

Lots at terminal stations - Crowfoot, McKnight West Winds, and Somerset Bridlewood, plus continuation of reserved parking at Fish Creek Lacombe.
Lots that currently have the highest usage (in addition to the above) – Dalhousie, Brentwood, Barlow-Max Bell, Shawnessy, Southland, Chinook, and 39 Ave S.
Remaining LRT station lots (depending on demand).
Reserved parking will not be available in parking lots that serve bus routes at this time but may be added to the program at a later date, based on customer demand.

It is anticipated that it may take approximately two months to fully establish the reserved areas in all of the lots and this too will be based on customer demand.

If you would like to be notified about when we will begin accepting reservations and how the program will work please sign up for Calgary Transit Email Alerts for park and ride, starting Wednesday, February 23. You will be able to specify which lots you are interested in learning about. When you have signed up, we will automatically email you the information as soon as it is available.http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/park_and_ride_changes.html

[SmAcKpOo]

When are they getting rid of the gay, power-tripping rent-a-cops?

[revelations]

Originally posted by SmAcKpOo
When are they getting rid of the gay, power-tripping rent-a-cops?

As soon as the gay, drug dealers, bums and creeps, deadbeat riders and drunken idiots go away.

[calgary403]

Originally posted by SmAcKpOo
When are they getting rid of the gay, power-tripping rent-a-cops?

When I was 16 I got a swearing ticket from one of these super cops.

He was plainclothes had his vest on the outside and his badge on a chain around his neck. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

He thought he was Denzel Washington from training day.

[SmAcKpOo]

I forgot my Bus pass at home the other day and got a ticket. My fault, no big deal.

The Transit Cop was such a huge dick and completely disrespectful. I said, "Dude, show me some respect, you're not a real cop". He replied with, "Yes I am, and I will give you a real ticket". I lol'd

[Xtrema]

Don't fault them for being dicks. Otherwise they will have a hard time doing their jobs.

Most times I got checked, they were actually courteous. The one time I got caught (1st of the month), they just let me off to buy a ticket @ the next station.

That said, anyone has successfully reserved a parking spot yet or are you just going to wing it.

[HuMz]

I'll probably start taking the train everyday once this comes in effect. There's no way in hell I could justify paying $150 a month just to take the c-train prior.

[e36bmw///]

nm

[calgary403]

Originally posted by e36bmw///


can you even legally get a swearing ticket????

Yep.

Worst part was I completely forgot about it. I had a warrant issued and I had the CPS come to my house and arrest me. They told me parents I was being arrested for "Something I did at the train station." Instead of just letting them know it was a swearing ticket. I went downtown and got processed and went into a holding cell until my Mom came and paid the $50.00.

[e36bmw///]

nm