Business Owners Say “Parking Holiday” Shows Meters Harm Providence Rest of Year
Sunday, December 04, 2016
A parking meter holiday in Providence has critics questioning why the city is pursuing an "anti-business" approach the rest of the year.
“My only reaction is based on that bogus claim that Leo Perrotta (Parking Administrator City of Providence) made to the Wickenden Street merchants, which is that parking meters help retailers (more turnover). If that's true, why does the city want to harm merchants during the most important shopping month of the year?” quipped Harry Adler with Adler’s Hardware on Wickenden Street, who has been a staunch critic of the city’s attempts to increase meters.
“If they think meter-free helps business, that's like admitting that they hurt businesses the rest of the time,” said Kim Turner Clark, who owns Rhody Craft on Hope Street.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHope Street had originally been on the target list for meters, but strong opposition saw the city back down from their proposal in April.
“Hope Street is a gem that we should all be proud of, and I commend the City for recognizing that the costs to the businesses and the neighborhood outweigh the benefits of this proposal,” said State Representative Aaron Regunberg at the time.
Latest in Parking Meter Wars
As GoLocalProv reported in May:
One of Thayer Street's most iconic tenants has joined the chorus of neighborhoods around Providence who are fighting back against the city's plans for expanded parking meter locations. Last week, state Representative John Lombardi repeated his call for meters to be removed from Federal Hill, after businesses and residents on Hope Street and Wickenden Street on the East Side were able to turn them back before even getting them.
GoLocal caught up with Lombardi — and real estate landlord Kenny Dulgarian on Thayer Street — about the “meter-free” holiday.
“I certainly I haven't heard any complaints,” said Lombardi of Federal Hill merchants on the parking holiday, that offers shoppers two hours of free parking from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. daily, until January 1.
“I’m only hearing folks saying still to get [meters] out of there altogether,” said Lombardi. “I’ve been crystal clear on this. It’s anti-business, anti-residential, and you’re only going to chase people to the suburbs.”
Dulgarian, who has been an outspoken critic of the meters, said he could only speak to the meter holiday — but the decision to keep them year-round rests solely with the Administration.
“I think anything that’s proactive to help small businesses is beneficial,” said Dulgarian.
“As for whether this means the city should remove them for the rest of the year, that’s up to the city,” said Dulgarian. “I know they’re doing the best they can, but it’s up to them to see the light. I’m all around the country for work, and I know what works - and what doesn’t."
Adjusting to No Meters During Holidays
Rick Simone with the Federal Hill Merchants Association said that one of the things he has heard from merchants is that not enough people know about the parking-holiday, after meters were just installed this year.
“They’re glad for the meter-free holiday, however, they feel that not enough folks still know about it,” said Simone.
According to the city, shoppers will be offered two hours of free parking every day from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. (where indicated until 9 p.m.) through Monday, January 1, 2017 in the following commercial districts:
· Atwells Avenue – Bradford Street to Knight Street
· Spruce Street – Dean Street to Acorn Street
· Dean Street – Atwells Ave to West Exchange Street
· Acorn Street – Spruce Street to Atwells Avenue
· Bradford Street – Atwells Avenue to Jones Street
· Bond Street – Atwells Avenue to Spruce Street
· Broad Street – Public Street to Montgomery Street
· Downtown Providence – bounded by Fountain Street, Memorial Boulevard, Weybosset Street, Empire Street and Friendship Street (from Dyer Street to Dorrance Street)
· Hope Street – Rochambeau Avenue to Blackstone Boulevard
· North Main Street – Thomas Street to Park Row
· Olneyville Square – Route 10 to Sydney Street and Delaine Street to Atwood Street to Magnolia Street
· South Main Street – James Street to Packet Street
· Point St – From Eddy to East Franklin St
· Thayer Street – Bowen Street to Waterman Street
· Wayland Square – East Angell Street/Angell Street to Gano Street and Wayland Avenue from Angell Street to Pitman Street
· Wickenden/Ives – Wickenden Street at Benefit Street to Ives Street at Preston Street
The city stated in their release:
"The holiday parking program is designed to make it easier for shoppers to patronize local businesses. While parking meter violations will not be issued during free 2-hour parking in the specified districts, 2-hour parking limits will be enforced to allow all residents to take advantage of the campaign."
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