For anyone who has been frustrated by the fact that roadside parking meters around White Rock’s Peace Arch Hospital don’t recognize new-issue loonies and toonies, relief is in sight.
Sandra Kurylo, the city’s financial services director, confirmed last week that meters which accept both the new and old coins are expected to be installed this week.
“The manufacturer has found a solution in the mechanism that works for us,” Kurylo said.
“We tested them, they work well. They are going to be shipped tomorrow (Dec. 19). I would say in a week, they should be up and running.”
Figuring out how to deal with the Park-o-Meter (POM) equipment has been an issue since the new $1 and $2 coins were put into circulation last April. While a quick solution had been hoped for, red stickers advising visitors that the new coins don’t work have adorned the 90 or so machines since May.
Kurylo said the city received “a couple” of the replacement meters to test about a month ago. They have a different “mechanism” inside the meter head, including a piece of software, that enables the meters to recognize both old and new coins, she said.
Kurylo said cost of the replacement meters was about $14,000.