Meters cause drop in park visits, Canadian groups say

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Installation of parking meters in British Columbia provincial parks in an attempt to raise revenue has backfired, leaders of two environmental groups say.

According to documents obtained by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee and Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society under the Freedom of Information Act, visits to 14 parks in southwestern British Columbia declined by 20 percent in 2003, when the meters were installed.

“The decision to put parking meters into parks was poorly thought out, poorly planned and poorly implemented,” Eva Riccius, a wilderness society ecosystem specialist, said Wednesday. “British Columbians should not have to pay to go for a walk in the park.”

She and other environmentalists said the documents show that there were 1 million fewer visitors to parks in 2003 and that compliance with the parking regulations averaged less than 25 percent.

The province issued 15,000 parking violation warnings and tickets but collected no fines because park operators lack the legal authority for such collections, according to the groups.

Environmentalists said the government projected revenues from the park meters at between $4 million to $6 million (U.S. $3.2 million to $4.8 million) a year, but the documents show that the total was less than $800,000 (U.S. $640,000) in 2003.

Parking meters also were installed in 13 parks on Vancouver Island, and last year the government expanded the program to 14 parks in the Okanagan region.

Provincial Management Services Minister Joyce Murray said in an interview that a forecast issued in January 2003 was for $1.5 million (U.S. $900,000) in revenue from day use fees, “so they are way out with what they’re claiming to be our projections.”