New parking fees come into effect this weekend on Granville Island

A new pay parking scheme is coming into effect at Granville Island as of Saturday, June 1.

From May 1 to September 30,parkingfrom 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. will cost$3 anhour. It will cost $2 anhour during the winter, from October 1 to April 30.

Parking will be free before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m.

Drivers can purchase parking time in 15-minute, half-hour and one-hour increments, and extra time can be added using online apps like Honk, EasyPark or PayByPhone.

Meant to improve traffic flow

There arearound 1,200 parking spaces on Granville Island, one of Vancouver's most popular destinations for tourists and locals alike.

About 60 per cent of those spots were free for either an hour or three hours, but under the new system, all parking spaces operate under the same price.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which manages Granville Island, says this will reduce the incentive for drivers to circle around looking for a free spot.

Sebastian Lippa, manager of planning and development at CMHC-Granville Island, says the new price scheme will improve parking availability, better manage demandand improve the visitor experience.

"We want to ensure that visitors who choose to travel to Granville Island by car can find a parking spot," Lippa said in a release.

The changes to the parking prices were originally announcedlast October.