Century Park LRT to lose 200 parking spaces to developer

Commuters heading to the park and ride at the Century Park Transit Centre will soon have fewer parking options.

Century Park Developments Ltd. is asking the city to surrender 199 parking spaces a quarter of the total parking at the transit hub to eventually accommodate residential and retail space.

Of those, there will be 50 fewer free stalls available, according to the city's website.

• Four year wait list for parking at Century Park LRT has no solution in sight
• Five ways the city plans to fix parking problem at Century Park
• Edmonton's Century Park LRT lot has turned into park and wait

The City of Edmontoncurrently leases the parking spaces from the developer and, according to their agreement, has return the landby November 20.

There are approximately 2,500 people still on the waiting list to get a paid parking spot at the LRTstation, a city spokesperson said Thursday. The wait time for a space is currently between four and five years.

City of Edmonton spokespersonTarra Kongsrudesaid drivers who already have a reserved parking space will not be affected by the changes.

Everyone else, she said, has to plan ahead to avoid competition for a spot.

"We are definitely encouraging people to perhaps consider taking a bus to the LRT station if they can [or] get dropped off," she said.

There are a variety of options for commuters, Kongsrude said, including an express bus service from the Lewis Farms Transit Centre,or parking at the Davies City Lot at 86th Street and 61st Avenue.

University of Alberta student Chelsey Fossspends$20a day on a parking space at Century Park anda transit pass.

She decided to reserve a parking space after months of being late to her morning classes.

"I need to get to school and I can't be late for class," she said. "They need more parking, not less parking."

By 2025, Century Park Developmentswilltakeover allparking spaces at Century Park and turn them into paid but shared parking spaces with added underground parking on site.

In theshared parking model, spaces willbe used by different people at different times throughout the day; such as residents, businesses, and park and ride commuters, according to the city.

As the site develops, the privately owned and operated surface park-and-ride stalls will be replaced with parkades and underground parking structures. This conversion will be tied tobuilding construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, according to the city.