If you've been using the marina parking lot in the summer because you noticed it had a cheaper rate, the jig is up.
You'll need to keep some extra change in your console this summer when you hit the beach or the boardwalk.
During budget talks this week, city councillors decided to right an old wrong by tripling the parking rate at the Barrie Marina lot so it falls in line with others along the waterfront, where the hourly rate is higher.
The rate at the marina lot will being going from $1 up to $3 to correspond with other waterfront lots, including the neighbouring North Centennial lot.
Lots deemed to be 'downtown' are $1 an hour, whereas prime lots along the lakeshore are 'waterfront' with the higher price.
Coun. Doug Shipley, who seconded Coun. Gary Harvey's amendment Monday, said the increase fixes an old problem.
"This is correcting an old goof we did a few years ago when we did the waterfront parking (rates). I can never understand... why our marina parking lot wasn't (considered) waterfront," said Shipley, a notion he called "ridiculous."
"As our marina parking lot, it should be priced accordingly," he added. "This is probably the most prime lot down there."
However, it's quite a potpourri of parking prices in the area.
The Southshore Centre, North and South Centennial beach lots and the Tiffin Boat Launch area are all $3 per hour.
However, the Spirit Catcher lot beside the marina, or 'Lakeshore West' as its sign indicates, as well as the Heritage Park lots, not to mention the Lakeshore Mews and Simcoe Street lots across the way, are all $1 per hour because they are considered 'downtown'. (There is also a gated lot across from the Service Ontario building, and which is only to be used by people visiting 34 Simcoe St., which is $2 per hour.)
Harvey agreed that the rates do "seem to be all over the map and inconsistent."
"Right now, only certain lots are deemed waterfront for purposes of the use of the resident passes so that our tax-paying residents can enjoy the waterfront and all the downtown has to offer anytime without having to pay to park," he added.
Harvey said only the marina lot will be changed for now, but both he and Shipley said they expect city staff to undertake a full review of the parking situation for all of Barrie, "to ensure that fair rates are being charged across the city," said Harvey, who hopes that report will bring some consistency to the parking rates around the city.
And make no mistake, people have been wise to the lower rate at the marina, where boaters also pay for a special parking pass.
"The rationale for this is to allow marina users who pay an additional $100 per year for a parking pass for this lot to have a fighting chance to be able to park in it," Harvey told BarrieToday.
Harvey said the rate hike will bring the marina lot in line with others in the area.
"This will place the two lots on par with one another cost-wise," he added, although the marina lot cannot be used for free with a resident's pass.
