DWBIA to look at free first hour parking for city garages

The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association might be bringing back the first hour of free parking for city-owned parking garages.

The proposal is going to be brought to the new board. The request was originally made in 2016 by Ward 3 Councillor Rino Bortolin as he wanted to find a cost-neutral option to reintroduce parking with the first hour free.

Free parking was originally cancelled due to budget cuts.

In last year’s municipal election, a complete turnover was made in the BIA’s board. Bortolin will be able to discuss the request again and show the importance of what the program can offer.

Bortolin could not be reached for comment.

The outgoing chair of the DWBIA, Larry Horwitz supports the one-hour free parking program.

“I’m a huge advocate for one-hour free parking,” said Horwitz. “I’m actually a bigger advocate for a two hour limit downtown.”

Horwitz said free parking will encourage more people to come downtown.

The reinstallation of the first hour free parking could bring more business to the downtown area.

According to The Windsor Star, studies show that when downtown areas provides the first hour free, people stay and shop longer.

Ryan Smith, owner of Pause Café, thinks one-hour free parking is a good idea, but said he won’t benefit.

“We’re too far away from the parking garages so I don’t think it’ll make a difference for us.”

Smith believes the city sees parking as a revenue generator, not as an amenity to help businesses downtown.

Bortolin should meet with the DWBIA board soon to re-propose the plan.