To the Editor,
The City of Nanaimo and downtown businesses need to wake up and get a grip on the outrageous parking penalties imposed on shoppers and others doing business downtown if they are serious about revitalizing downtown Nanaimo.
On Saturday (Jan. 5), I left my car in the empty backside lot of Port Place Mall for more than the two hours allowed.
When I returned, I had a $59 ticket.
In my hours downtown, I shopped at two stores in Port Place, bought food at Serious Coffee, and did my volunteer shift at the Nanaimo Art Gallery up the street for the final day of Art for an Oil-Free Coast show.
More than 200 people came through the gallery that day.
Many of them bought merchandise and patronized other downtown businesses as well.
And many of them came specifically because of the promotion I have been doing for this show (for free) for the last month.
So my thanks from the city and downtown businesses for shopping and volunteering downtown and for bringing droves of other people downtown is a $59 ticket.
Perhaps you are saying “It’s her own fault, she should have used the parkade.”
Reality check: I am poor. Poetry is my sole source of income. The Port Place Mall lot was empty all day where I parked.
Besides, I don’t think any person should be forced to pay for the ‘privilege’ of shopping or volunteering downtown.
Do you want us there or don’t you?
And $59? Is this Tokyo? I was debating whether it would be cheaper to just abandon my beater and buy another off Craigslist.
If Nanaimo is serious about revitalizing the downtown core, stop the extortion.
Kim Goldberg
Nanaimo