A petition asking the Vancouver Park Board not to add pay parking to Spanish Banks Beach is quickly gaining traction, with almost 3,000 signatures captured this week.
The park board will implement pay parking at rates of $3.50 per hour or $13 per day for the summer period at Spanish Banks as of April 1st.
Vancouver Park Board has decided to charge $3.50 an hour for parking all along Spanish Banks where it used to be free. We are told that parking is charged at other beaches like Kits and Jericho, but there’s a reason. Those beaches both have limited parking and far easier public transport and bike access. Spanish Banks is long and has a great deal of parking. People come to Spanish Banks by car because it is by far the easiest way to get there, especially for large families, the elderly, disabled or people with bbq’s or other beach gear.
But we are told that the Park Board needs to raise money to pay for upkeep and they rely on these fees. Then the question is, how on earth has the Park Board managed for all these years while Spanish Banks has been free? Is there some other reason their budget requires this new source of income? Could it be poor fiscal management or simply a matter of priorities?
Read more and sign the petition here.
Last modified: February 8, 2018
EVERYONE, IF YOU LOVE VANCOUVER, IF YOU LOVE THE BEACH, IF YOU LOVE HOLDING ONTO SOMETHING THAT IS STILL FREE IN THE INSANITY THAT IS VANCOUVER’S COSTS OF LIVING, IF YOU LOVE YOUR FAMILY AND LOVE SPENDING TIME WITH THEM, IF YOU CARE ABOUT NATURE AND KEEPING IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF INCOME, IF YOU LOVE HAVING OFF-LEASH DOG AREAS, IF YOU LOVE BEING ABLE TO TAKE ALL YOUR GEAR AND FOOD AND FRIENDS TO THE SHORE FOR PICNICS AND BARBECUES, IF YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND TRADITIONS SPENT AT SPANISH BANKS, IF YOU LOVE BEING ABLE TO RUN OR PLAY OR SIT OR SWIM OR EAT OR LISTEN TO THE ANNUAL FOLK FESTIVAL CONCERT, OR …., PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AND SEND THE STRONGEST MESSAGE TO OUR CURRENT CITY GOVERNMENT THAT YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF BEING TAXED TO DEATH AND PAYING, PAYING, PAYING FAR TOO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING IN THIS CITY — PARKING METERS AT SPANISH BANKS IS THE LAST STRAW, AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!