Petition against pay parking at Spanish Banks beach quickly gains traction

A petition asking the Vancouver Park Board not to add pay parking to Spanish Banks Beach is quickly gaining traction, with more than 1,000 signatures gathered over two days. 

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 1. Free parking will still be available during the off season and at the smaller lots at nearby Locarno Beach.

The board approved the changes at a meeting last November.

"We've kept it free for as long as we possibly can," said park board chair Stuart Mackinnon. 

"Nobody likes new charges, but it's a way that we can keep our parks and gardens and especially our beaches as beautiful as they are."

Mackinnon said fees and charges fund more than 40 per cent of the board's budget. He added that pay parking is in effect at most parks and beaches, and Spanish Banks is currently an exception. 

"It's a matter of equity between sites," he said. "It matches the other beaches along the way."

'There are affordable options'

But the more than 1,000 people who signed the petition disagree with the move. 

The petition points out that other beaches like Kitsilano and Jericho are more easily accessible by public transit and have limited 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," reads the petition. 

For frequent users who can't reach the beach by bike or transit, Mackinnon said the park board also offers a parking pass that costs $87 a year. He said spots for car share programs like Car2Go or Evo are free.

"There are affordable options," he said.