Vernon Morning Star, November 24, 2013

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Morning gStar

The

Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013

P R O U D L Y

S E R V I N G

O U R

N O R T H

w w w. v e r n o n m o r n i n g s t a r. c o m

O K A N A G A N

C O M M U N I T I E S

F O R

O V E R

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Y E A R S

JUST IN!

2014 Chevrolet Cruze DIESEL

BANNISTER

4703 - 27th St. VERNON • 250-545-0606

GM DL#9133

Credit cut as parking option

FOR A GOOD CAUSE

RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff

JENNIFER SMITH/MORNING STAR

Clarence Fulton Secondary Principal Ken Gatzke (above) prepares for the worst as Grade 11 student Gurjit Janda happily pies him in the face during the Pies for the Philippines fundraiser at the school Tuesday, where students paid for a chance to pie one of their teachers, with all funds raised going to help those affected by the devastating typhoon in the Philippines. Teachers Eric Ladner (left) and Jean Moynes laugh, and cringe, at the mess they got themselves into getting pied by students. Student Reece Hawthorne gets ready to pie “Mrs. Wallberg” (played by Rick Smith).

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Vernon’s experiment with credit card friendly parking meters appears to be over. City council will be asked by staff Monday not to proceed with the installation of credit card capable meters after a trial period indicated they weren’t popular. “If it’s proving that no one was using credit cards to plug the meters, it doesn’t pay to use them,” said Coun. Brian Quiring. During the three-month trial period covering three blocks, only 1.68 per cent of transactions were credit card. “It is believed that until parking fees are increased to a higher level where pocket change will not be able to purchase parking, that cost of implementing this additional service should not be supported,” said Clint Kanester, bylaw compliance manager, in a report to council. That is a view shared by Quiring. “Our parking rates are so inexpensive so it’s not worth the investment,” he said. “In Vancouver, when you are paying $2 for half-an-hour or an hour of parking, it makes more sense.” If council agrees not to proceed with the specialized meters, there could be significant savings. It would have cost the city $67,780 to purchase the meters and there would have been annual operating costs of $25,000. During the trial period, two companies provided the meters so the city could study their effectiveness.

LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR

Credit card payment has failed to be a favourable option for parking meters in Vernon.

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