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City of White Rock claims PAN parkade editorial ‘misleading’

White Rock statement says CAO’s presentation a full rationale for waterfront parking structure
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The City of White Rock has published a statement on its website claiming a recent editorial in Peace Arch News was misleading.

The editorial, Multileveled divisions, published July 26, expressed the opinion that it is up to the city to demonstrate to residents that a five-level parkade near the waterfront will be beneficial.

It stated: “The onus now is for civic officials to show taxpayers – their employers – how this is a good plan both financially and for their community’s betterment.

“They should explain in detail,” it continued, “how a multi-million-dollar investment can pay for itself, and they should explain how they plan to increase tourist traffic year-round so that parking spots –ergo, businesses – don’t sit vacant.”

The city’s statement takes issue with this editorial opinion, saying it “implies that the city did not provide the financial and/or general rationale for the parking structure.

“That is not correct.”

The city statement notes that at the last land use and planning committee meeting – on Monday July 24 – chief administrative officer Dan Bottrill delivered a presentation on the parkade.

According to the statement, Bottrill’s afternoon presentation – which was subsequently reported in PAN (Parkade moves to hearing, July 26) – outlined “how this parkade will pay for itself, how the calculations take into account parking visitors who are price sensitive, how differential parking rates will help increase tourists to the area with available parking capacity and more.”

The PAN story noted Bottrill’s presentation followed questions from committee member Coun. Helen Fathers, who had pressed planning and development services director Carl Johannsen for a “business case” for the parkade.

VIDEO: White Rock chief administrative officer Dan Bottrill discusses ‘waterfront parkade’

Start video at 37:10