Daytime private parking rates reduced near Rogers Place as demand drops
Daytime parking rates near Rogers Place are coming down as construction in the area tapers off, an Impark spokesperson says.
"A few of the lots close to Rogers Place, Edmonton Tower and the Royal Alberta Museum have seen some price reductions recently," Julian Jones, Impark's senior vice-president of corporate development, told CBC News in an emailed statement.
"These are primarily the result of a resetting in the parking demand as the construction traffic (which caused a temporarily increased demand) has reduced," Jones said.
Rates that have been reduced are primarily daily rates, he said, adding "early bird" daily rates have typically been reduced by $1 or $2.
"These are localized adjustments based on demand shifts in the immediate area."
In August, Fabian Ffrench started working at Rogers Place as a sous chef. At that time, he said, daily parking was hard to find.
"At that point it was a bit hard also because we had the construction team here," said Ffrench.
But currently at the lot where he parks, just north of the arena, there are plenty of available spots.
Many downtown private parking rates rose last year in anticipation of demand from the Ice District.
Many of those rates remain untouched. Evening rates on Rogers Place event nights — concerts and Oilers games —remain the same.
For the Downtown Business Association, the slight rate reductions at Impark lots weren't unexpected.
"They might be having a bit of competition with the other lots," said Ian O'Donnell, the DBA's executive director. "I think it's just a market correction and we'll see where those prices are in another month."
Ffrench and other Rogers Place and casino staff work 12-hour shifts.
Ffrench pays $20 each time he parks for a full day.
"It's a big strain on our pockets," said Ffrench.
As long as people continue to use the Impark lots around Rogers Place at night, those rates are expected to remain the same.
The City of Edmonton is currently reviewing its on-street parking rates based on data collected by digital EPark meters.
The city will use the information to determine if the cost of parking in the downtown should stay the same, go up, or be reduced. The review is to be completed by the end of March.
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