Before the official start of this summer, Vancouver Park Board’s elected commissioners are expected to consider the implementation of pay parking at Spanish Bank Beach Park.
During Monday night’s Park Board meeting, Park Board staff advised the commissioners they would be returning with a report outlining their proposal to implement pay parking at the four parking lots of Spanish Bank Beach Park. At that juncture, the commissioners will be asked to decide on whether to proceed with pay parking.
In addition to starting pay parking at the parking lots, the City would also begin pay parking for on-street parking spaces in the immediate area along Northwest Marine Drive.
If approved by the commissioners in a public meeting sometime over the coming weeks, pay parking at both the parking lots and on-street parking spaces would begin as early as June 2024.
“This is going to cause a riot, right? If this comes down,” said Green Party commissioner Tom Digby during Monday’s meeting before suggesting the need for affordable parking rates.
In response, Park Board staff said they would align with the City’s rate of $1.00 per hour to start.
Park Board staff also suggested that pay parking could be seasonal, such as between April 1 and September 30 each year, when there is significantly more visitation to Spanish Banks Beach Park.
Pay parking lots are found along the length of Spanish Banks Beach Park in Vancouver. (Google Maps)
Curbside vehicle parking spaces along Northwest Marine Drive next to Spanish Banks Beach Park. (Google Maps)
The last attempt to commence seasonal pay parking at Spanish Banks Beach was in 2018, but it was eventually cancelled by Park Board commissioners at the time due to a major public outcry. The 2018 proposal called for pay parking between April 1 and September 30, with rates of $3.50 per hour, $13 per day, or $87 for a seasonal pass. As a compromise, the Park Board later shortened the season’s pay parking period to between the Victoria Day and Labour Day long weekends before completely cancelling the entire pay parking plan, which came just before the 2018 civic election.
Six years later, Park Board staff now say Spanish Banks Beach’s parking demand in the peak season now has a serious impact on the road network and surrounding neighbourhood.
Based on 2023 data, the combined capacity of the four parking lots and on-street parking spaces is 85% full, with demand highest in the summer weekends. The four parking lots have a combined capacity of 744 parking stalls.
Park Board staff noted that Spanish Bank Beach continues to be the only beach in the Park Board network that provides free parking.
If the commissioners approve pay parking, added Park Board staff, it would align with the “Think Big” revenue-generating strategy, which was approved by the Park Board’s elected commissioners in July 2023.
According to the municipal government’s 2024 budget, the Park Board is forecast to see $11.96 million from parking revenues — up from $10.3 million recorded in 2023 and $8.5 million in 2022.
Spanish Banks Beach Park and the downtown Vancouver skyline. (Josef Hanus/Shutterstock)
Volleyball at Spanish Banks Beach Park. (Kyle Pearce/Flickr)