Editor:

Re: No free parking until ‘10, Oct. 28

The City of White Rock’s decision to offer free parking on the waterfront in January and February 2010 is wrong.

Coun. Al Campbell’s comment that  the “waterfront is historically busy during November and December” is interesting. If the economy was strong, he may be correct. The truth is, the economy is not strong and, with the decrease in American visitors to the waterfront, businesses are really hurting.

I know there are several councillors currently serving who have a business background.

Considering the majority of businesses on Marine Drive are restaurants, when would be the best two months to offer free parking? I believe free parking from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 would be the best time.

People have choices where to dine. If someone decides they are going to spend some of their hard-earned cash and dine on the waterfront, I believe they would choose the holiday season to do so. It is also when restaurants have the best chance to make money, before the really dark, cold days of winter in January and February.

I believe Coun. Mary-Wade Anderson is living in the past with comments like, “the pre-Christmas scene on the waterfront is always busy; restaurants are getting busy with reservations.”

If you have visited a restaurant lately – any restaurant – you will see the majority are not busy. Restaurants in Vancouver are offering a variety of incentives to keep their seats filled.

I think it is time to put away the old assumption that if you have a restaurant on the waterfront, you are making lots of money. That may have been true in the 1980s, but I do not believe it is true in 2009.

The restaurants on the waterfront deserve the support of the locals in the off-season. Our waterfront is a beautiful spot, and I for one do not want to see it littered with going-out-of-business and for-lease signs.

Please give locals an opportunity to enjoy eating on the waterfront, and restaurants on Marine Drive a chance to make a living in the off-season by reversing this decision.

Cathy Burrell, White Rock

• • •

“The water front is historically busy during November and December.” Hahahaha.

As a Marine Drive business owner on, I must express my discontent.

The recent unorthodox move from city hall to change the seasonal free parking from the four worst months to only two is asinine.

Councillors are supposed to represent our city and thusly know what happens in it. Where are they getting the facts that suggest that November is a busy and a good month for business? It is not, nor has it ever been “historically.”

The ability to tell Christmas-party organizers that parking is free during the weekdays is often the greatest reason for the organizers to book on the beach.

I am irate at this impromptu decision, occurring on the eve of November. This really creates a bad image for our city; it is a last-minute decision with no forewarning for merchants or the visitors of Marine Drive this winter. 

In my business, in order to be successful you need to be consistent. People frequent good restaurants because they know that they will get a good meal every time they visit the restaurant.

I would have thought our city strived to have consistent positions.

Tyson Blume, Surrey

• • •

An open letter to White Rock council.

All I can say towards your latest big decision not to have the Monday-Thursday free parking in November and December is… wow!

What are you really thinking about this time? Do any of you actually see anything besides dollar signs with plus marks beside them?

Do any of you actually read any of the information given to you before you make such a decision?

Who is giving out the blinders in the chambers for you all to wear?

As a former business owner along the waterfront who had a healthy winter business prior to pay parking, I can speak to the differences that have developed.

One of the comments we had most in the winter months was from the locals who were happy to shop on the waterfront in the “off” season when there was more available parking and not so many people. It was a time when we could really connect with our customers and get to know them and gain their support over the years.

We all know the years since 9-11 have been challenging for tourism. This little town of White Rock sometimes forgets we are a tourist-driven town, but I am confused. How can you not remember we have a population here, too?

We have customers who live right on our doorsteps. We want them to stay here to shop and support businesses in our community – the struggle to keep them on the south side of North Bluff is a real battle!

This Christmas will be the first year the whole big-box mecca will be open for business over in Grandview Corners. I don’t see much in the way of parking machines anywhere in their neighbourhood. In fact, there aren’t parking meters anywhere in our town except for the waterfront – the “jewel of the crown of White Rock” as it’s been referred.

The countless hours I have spent – wasted, really – on focus groups have come up with the same results: the waterfront is what people think of when they think of White Rock. How can you pretend it doesn’t matter again and again and again?

The results from businesses on the waterfront last year showed us – the Business Improvement Association – an overwhelming success with the free-parking program.

The letters and phone calls from overjoyed customers were matched only by the same from the merchants along Marine Drive.

Customers made changes to their shopping habits and came down Monday to Thursdays. Weekends still had help for the evening-based businesses, as pay-parking only goes, thankfully, until 8 p.m.

This information was passed on to all of you in letters and face-to-face meeting with the BIA. We also sent another reminder a few weeks ago regarding its overwhelming success.

I am appalled at your lack of vision on this, and your ignorance of the community wants. When did you all cease to be community members like the rest of us?

Perhaps MLA Gordon Hogg and all the Communities in Bloom folks should take another look at our fair city throughout the year, instead of just when the tourists are flocking and the flowers are at their best.

It may be five stars in the summer, but come winter we’d be lucky to get one…

Sharon Greysen, White Rock