Vancouver city councillor proposes free parking in Chinatown to entice people back

A Vancouver city councillor is hoping free parking will entice people back to Chinatown.

The area is reeling from impacts of the pandemic and ongoing street disorder, including arson, vandalism and other crime. Last month, the neighbourhood’s business improvement association revealed it’s spending half its budget on security to restore a sense of safety for visitors and shop owners.

A motion by Councillor Melissa De Genova is on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting. It proposes offering free street parking for up to three hours in Chinatown on Sundays. If approved, the pilot program would run from May 2022 to May 2023.

“It’s an incentive to bring people into Chinatown and help to deter some of that crime and violence (through bigger crowds),” De Genova said. “Free parking on Sundays in Chinatown is a small measure the city can take immediately to revitalize Chinatown.”

Jordan Eng, president of the Chinatown BIA, said the plan is a “great idea,” but needs to be expanded.

“Sunday we’re busy in Chinatown, we really need people coming down here every day of the week,” Eng said.

Lorraine Lowe, executive director of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, also supports the plan, with a caveat.

“The parking is a great start, (but) the main issue we really need to focus on is public safety and having that foot patrol around,” Lowe said. “Having more people on the streets, that would help deter a lot of the stuff that’s going on down here.”

The garden has been a constant target for vandals, including several large graffiti tags that covered an entire wall in January.

“We’re just repeatedly being vandalised,” she said.

Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung believes the free parking motion is “well-intentioned,” but doesn’t address the “real issues” facing the community.

“We really do need to address the social disorder so that people feel safe not only to visit there, but also work there,” Kirby-Yung said. “I don’t think free parking is what the community is asking for. I think they’re asking for very real, creative solutions to the social disorder.”

The motion is on the Vancouver City Council agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.