The petition against pay parking at Spanish Banks beach now has more than 10,000 signatures.
Launched just over a week ago, as of Friday morning the online petition had garnered more than 10,400 signatures.
David Fine, a local filmmaker and activist, started the petition after seeing the story and comments posted on social media. Many were urging someone to start a petition, so he did.
He told the Courier he didn’t think it would amount to much.
“I just thought I’d post it and leave it alone, and really I expected that there would maybe be some noise, maybe 1,000 would sign it and that would be great… but it seems to have touched a nerve beyond what I expected,” he said.
Fine said he posted the petition on Facebook and Twitter but didn’t do much else to promote it, and it quickly took off. In the first few days more than 3,000 people signed the petition.
The petition has also garnered a number of comments.
“The beach provides free entertainment for families,” wrote Cynthia Bruce. “Vancouver is already expensive enough. Let people have at least one beach where they can take children without a fee.”
“I’m a senior on a fixed income,” said Sharon Olsen. “Spanish Banks is only accessible to me by car. Please leave at least one beach available to us unsullied by ugly, expensive meters.”
Another commenter called the move indiscriminate taxation. “It ignores whether one can afford it or not and thus reserves the enjoyment of Spanish Banks to those who can afford to pay for parking there. I would accept it if there were regular, efficient and free public transit to the area.”
In November, park board commissioners approved a number of fee increases, including introducing a charge for parking at Spanish Banks. Commissioner Erin Shum voted against the proposal.
Starting this year, pay parking will be in effect at Spanish Banks from April 1 until Sept. 30. Parking rates have been set at $3.50 an hour, the daily rate is $13 and a season’s pass is $87.
Pay parking is currently in place at all the city’s destination parks and beaches, except for Spanish Banks.
“Pay parking is a critical source of revenue for the Park Board, providing funding for necessary enhancements to the safety, security and cleanliness of our parks,” staff said in a report.
At the time staff told commissioners that the board will be working with transit providers, as well as car and bike share companies to ensure there are alternative forms of transportation available to the public.
Fine said the lack of public transit in the area makes instituting pay parking at Spanish Banks particularly problematic.
“At Spanish Banks, for most [driving] is the only way to get there,” he said. “There really isn’t bus service. So it amounts to a user fee and the park board is doing this to raise money so it’s like a user fee.”
He adds, “While other beaches charge for parking, they also have excellent transit and far more limited parking.
“The park board has taken this decision because they are cash strapped. Why? Because while the City of Vancouver budget has increased some 45 per cent in 10 years, the park board budget has remained close to level.”
Meanwhile the development cost levy, which developers pay to contribute to things like park amenities childcare facilities and social and non-profit housing, has dropped from 42 per cent to 17.
“Still, charging for parking at Spanish Banks is the wrong way to compensate for lack of funding and people are very unhappy about this move because it makes a free day out at our beautiful beach cost which will cause some people to either go less or to limit their time there.”
Fine said he plans to submit the petition and a letter to the park board likely early next week.
@JessicaEKerr
