Victoria Council's Committee of the Whole has accepted staff recommendations to soften the blow when Free Sunday parking disappears at meters in the downtown core.
The original plan was to charge the same as the rest of the week -- $3 and hour. But staff recommended lowering the rate to $2 an hour , and suggested no limit on parking time on Sundays.
Most councillors didn't like the 'no limit' suggestion -- but agreed to set a cap of 4 hours.
Mayor Lisa Helps calls it a good compromise:
" I think that's a good balance. Four hours is a lot of time. I mean if people want to stay longer obviously they can stay all day and go park for free in the parkade. But I think limitless, it just seems, it just doesn't sit quite right. I think 4 hours is a good compromise between 90 minutes and limitless."
Meters in outlying areas of the city would be $1 an hour. Parking would still be free in city parkades on Sunday and holidays.
It's estimate the move will generate between $500 and $600-thousand a year to fund bus passes for Youth.