Dec 21, 2023 - CBC News - Why Ottawa parking lots say they're full when there are empty spaces
Original Text (Processed by AI)
It's 10:00. You're headed to work, running a bit late because your youngest is sick again. It's fine in the car with coffee. How is it only Tuesday? Downtown you go, you work, but don't live downtown because who can afford that? You would take the LRT, but it's not always reliable. Plus, you may need to get home fast in case the school calls because your oldest caught whatever the youngest one has. So you drive. By 10:20, you're pulling off the highway, already thinking about your second coffee when you see it—the dreaded sign: "Lot Full," and again and again. But why don't most people work from home now? Let's take a look.
The quick answer is no, even though it might seem that way. Many employers, including Ottawa's largest—the federal government—are now mandating their workers back to the office, at least for part of the week. Plus, there's lots of construction downtown. Those workers need to park too, and there's not a lot of outside parking lots where the big pickup trucks and the big vans can fit. But yeah, it's pretty hard for everyone. I would say around 10:00 a.m., the parking lot is full. But are the lots really full?
Looks like there are a lot of empty spaces. Parking attendants we spoke to say they have to reserve spots for monthly passholders—many hybrid workers who only come downtown a couple of days a week. Pretty, that leaves people without passes on the hunt for coveted spaces, which drivers we spoke to say are especially hard to find on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. And data from the City Hall parking lot backs that up. Take a look at these numbers from September and October—lots were basically full, but only in the middle of the week. Yeah, nobody's around on Mondays and Fridays. Don't tell anybody. Sorry, secret's out.
Indigo, which manages parking lots across the country, says in Ottawa, demand exceeds supply on those three days. Regardless of the day, the later you come down, the harder it will be. "My routine starts around maybe 10:00, so when I get here at 10:10, 10:30, you know, normally the parkings are taken. Then you know you have other places where you can go, but then you have to walk. Right? So why not take public transit? Because I have three kids, and my day is in Hall, and I live at GNO, so I need to go to Gau to Hall, Hall to Ottawa."
Ridership is down. OC Transpo says it hasn't been able to bounce back since the pandemic, partly because more federal workers are working from home. But let's be honest, service hasn't always been dependable. Would it be better if you had a monthly parking pass? Yes, but getting one isn't going to be easy. Some places only give them to tenants; others don't have any left to give. "It's very difficult to get a monthly spot, especially because I'm never parking in the same area twice. I'm a contractor; I work all around town. So even if I get a monthly spot, it's likely I won't be able to park in that same spot all the time anyway."
If that spot's free, and it's costly in the downtown core and ByWard Market—you're looking at anywhere between $200 and $300 a month. If you push further out, $50 to $150 a month. On busy days, places like the National Art Centre use extra staff to help with traffic control. They try to be flexible to accommodate monthly passholders while also welcoming the general public. "So, it's kind of an interesting, still adjustment, I would say. At a certain point, the person who observes what's going on in the parking will say, 'Okay, we need somebody to check out the door and make sure we don't end up with a too-full parking, people coming in and really not finding any spots.'"
So, the next time you head to the office, pack your lunch but also your patience. If you think parking will be easy, you might as well park that idea too.
Dictation
It's 10 o'clock. You're headed to work, runing a bit late because your youngest is sick again. It's fine in the car with coffee.
How is it only Tuesday? Downtown you go. You work, but don't live downtown, because who can afford that? You would take the LRT, but it's not always reliable.
Plus, you may need to get to home fast in case school calls, because your oldest caught whatever the youngest one has. So you drive.
By 10:20, you're pulling off the highway, already thinking about your second coffee when you see it - the dreaded sign: "Lot Full", and again and again, but why? Don't most people work from home now? let's take a look.
The quick answer is no. Even thought it might seem that way. Many employers, including Ottawa's largest - the federal government - are now mendating their workers back to the office, at least for part of the week.
Plus, there's lots of construction downtown, those workers need to park too.
And there's not a lot of outside parking lots where the big pickup trucks and the big vans can fit.
Emm, but yeah, It's pretty hard for everyone. I would say: around the 10:00am the parking lot is full.
But are the lots really full? Looks like there're a lot of empty spaces. Parking attendants we spoke to say: they have to reserve spots for monthly passholders. Many hybrid workers only come downtown for a couple of days a week.
That leaves people without passes on the hunt for coveted spaces. The drivers we spoke to, say are especially hard to find on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Data from the City Hall parking lot backs that up. Take a look at these numbers from September and October. Lots were basically full but only in the middle of the week.
And nobody's around on Mondays and Fridays. Don't tell anybody. Sorry secret's out.
Indigo, which manages parking lots across the country, says: In Ottawa, demand exceeds supply on those three days. Regardless of the day, the later you come down the harder it will be.
My routine starts around maybe 10:00, so I get here at 10:00, 10:30. You know normally the parking are taken. Then you have other places that you can go, but then you have to walk great.
So why not take public transit?
Because I have three kids. And my daycare is in Hall, and I live at Gatineau. I need to go to Gatineau to Hall, Hall to Ottawa.
Ridership is down. OC Transpo says, it hasn't been able to bounce back since pandemic. Partly because more federal workers are working from home. But let's be honest, service hasn't always been dependable.
Would it be better if you had a monthly parking pass? Yes, but getting one isn't going to be easy. Some places only give them to tenants, others don't have any left to give.
It's very difficult to get a monthly spot. Especially because I'm never parking in the same area twice.
I'm a contractor. I work all around town. So even I get a monthly spot, It's likely I won't be able to park in that same spot all the time anyway. If that spot is free.
And it's costly. In the downtown core and Byward Market you're looking anywhere between $200 and $300 a month. If you push further out, $50 to $150 a month.
On busy days, places like the National Art Center use extra staff to help with traffic control. They try to be flexible to accommodate monthly passholders while also welcoming the general public.
So it's kind of an interesting still adjustment I would say.
At soon point, the person who observe what's going on in the parking will say, "OK, we need somebody to check out the door and make sure we don't have end up with a too-full parking people coming in and really not finding any spots.
So, the next time you head to the office, pack your lunch but also your patience. If you think parking will be easy, you might as well park that idea too.