Don't leave your car downtown overnight: Parking ban starting soon in St. John's

If you're used to going downtown in St. John's and leaving your car parked on the street overnight, you had better make adjustments.

Soon the city will tow vehicles in certain spots between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., in an effort to improve snow clearing.

"Right now, if a plow goes by and there's a car there, they keep having to go back and go back and go back and go back," said Coun. Debbie Hanlon, who added cars can sometimes be left from Friday night to Monday morning.

"That won't happen now. They'll go down and go, 'swipe!' and they're out."

Hanlon said a blanket overnight parking ban was recommended in a 2014 KPMG report. However, after consultationsin the area,the city settled on specific areas during a limited timeframe so people who work in restaurants and bars will not be negatively affected.

• St. John's snow clearing report suggests new depot, increased parking ban

"This wasn't done easily. We had a lot of research, a lot of work done on it," Hanlonsaid after Monday's council meeting.

"Most people are wanting it."

No consultation, no good: Galgay

But Jonathan Galgay, executive director of the George Street Association, said the city failed to consult his organizationon the overnight parking ban.

The former councillor said the City decided not to proceed with late night parking restrictions to improve snow clearing when it was recommended "because of concerns that were coming out of the downtown."

"We have a responsibility to promote safety and designated drivers and I think that this policy certainly doesn't take that into consideration," Galgay told the St. John's Morning Show on Tuesday.

Between staff parking for their shifts at bars and restaurants and people deciding to leave their vehicles overnight after a few drinks, Galgayasked council to reconsider its decision until people involved in downtown businesses, the Newfoundland and LabradorLiquor Corp., Mothers Against Drunk Driving and othersare involved.

Galgaysaid people want to park as close to their destination as possible and should not only have that option, they shouldn't have to worry about planning ahead.

"You can't just say to people, 'If you're going downtown at 5p.m. and you think you might want to have a drink, and you think you might want to keep your car downtown, you should park in a parking garage.'"

Hanlon said she was surprised by Galgay's comments.

"I don't understand his issues, to be honest," she said.

Sheadded Galgay "seemed OK with it" when she spokewith him about it" for 23 and a half minutes just before Christmas."

Howevever, Galgaysaid Tuesday he was advised it was going to happen "with or without the support of the association."

$275 towing fee

Hanlon said there are other places to park overnight for anyone concerned about impaired driving, including "almost 300 parking spaces for free here at City Hall."

She said the parking ban will start "in the next couple weeks" to give the City time to get the word out, so people are not surprised by finding their vehicles towed facing a cost of at least $275.

There will be no parking between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on a stretch of Water Street between Prescott Street and Waldegrave Street, which runs from the TD Building to the St. John's Convention Centre, as well as on Duckworth Street between Cochrane Street and New Gower Street, or from the Sir Humphrey Gilbert Building to the Majestic Theatre.

The project will be evaluated in the spring in consultation with Downtown St. John's to decide if the parking restriction should be permanent.