File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Performing arts centre must include adequate parking nearby

Jan 25, 2024 | 5:55 AM

THE DOWNTOWN PARKING PROBLEM won’t go away just because we want it to.

The official line from City Hall a few years ago was that more parking spaces were needed. When the plan for a performing arts centre was put to a vote in 2015, it included a 355-space underground parkade designed both to accommodate parking for the centre, and to alleviate the parking crunch downtown.

But the next time a referendum was planned, parking was suddenly no longer a problem because, minus the parkade, a PAC could be built for $20 million less.

So it’s quite interesting to see that Protective Services Director Ken Uzeloc is raising the parking issue for a new look. He points out in a report that on evenings when the Blazers are playing at the Sandman Centre, and there’s an event at the same time at the new performing arts centre (if one is built) there will be considerable pressure on downtown parking.

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“There will be parking challenges with the development of an arts centre if parking is not considered early,” Uzeloc said in his report to the Build Kamloops committee.

Parking wasn’t included when the Sandman Centre was built and, because of that, attendance at the rink requires a walk of many blocks for most. The failure to consider parking at the time of construction was a big mistake.

Building a new performing arts centre without new parking would be ridiculous, yet that’s what’s been promoted in hopes of convincing taxpayers to approve a new arts centre at a lower cost. Deal with parking later, seems to be the thinking.

According to Uzeloc, there are 2,525 on-street parking spaces and 1,508 off street parking in the downtown area.

But the acceptable distance from car to event is defined as two blocks, not four blocks or six blocks. At least, though, parking is on the table again for discussion. Maybe this time they’ll get it right.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.