The Ambleside and Dundarave Business Improvement Association is asking West Vancouver council to hold off on expanding pay parking south of the railway tracks, including Argyle Avenue, John Lawson Park, and Dundarave.
The association is requesting that Council table any further expansion until September 2026, allowing staff, businesses, and residents to monitor the impact of Ambleside Park’s pay parking through the busy summer season.
Pay parking is set to begin at Ambleside Park on September 15, and the District has said the measure will help manage demand for limited spaces while generating revenue for community services. However, ADBIA says it could push visitors to seek free parking in nearby commercial areas and residential streets.
“Simply informing the community is not enough,” the ADBIA wrote in a letter to Council. “In circumstances like these, the ‘inform not engage’ approach will not build the collaboration we need to preserve the vibrancy of our villages.”
According to a survey conducted by the ADBIA, 80% of Dundarave businesses and 85% of Ambleside businesses believe pay parking south of the tracks would negatively affect them. Overall, 82% of businesses surveyed said they do not support pay parking in the commercial areas.
The association notes that Ambleside and Dundarave, together, have approximately 1,000 parking stalls serving nearly 600 businesses. By comparison, Park Royal mall offers 5,000 stalls for 280 stores. Businesses argue that this limited parking supply, combined with increasing competition from online shopping and large retail centres, makes the villages especially vulnerable to parking changes.
The ADBIA also notes a sharp decline in parking ticket revenue, from the equivalent of nearly $600,000 in today’s dollars a decade ago to $124,000 last year. They suggest that stronger enforcement, possibly through new incentives or contracting with third parties, could help the District meet revenue goals without expanding pay parking.
As an alternative, the association has proposed adjustments, including increasing the number of shorter-term and 15-minute parking spots, reconfiguring parking times in the commercial area, and modifying the layout of some stalls to improve accessibility and safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
The Council is expected to discuss the issue at its meeting on Monday, September 15, at 6:00 p.m. The ADBIA hopes the District will delay further decisions until 2026, giving the community time to understand better how Ambleside Park’s new system affects businesses and residents.
Maureen O’Brien, Executive Director of the ADBIA, said the issue is more than just parking stalls. “Our villages thrive because they’re welcoming and easy to access. If parking becomes a barrier, we risk losing some of the very character that makes people want to shop and spend time here in the first place.”
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