We agree that we need to bring more people into the downtown core. Public transit has its place, but so should private vehicles. Several major parking lots have been closed over the past few months both on the waterfront and on Queen Street. These parking lots before closed were full, so where are people to park now? Are the buildings that are going up going to have parking at a reasonable price available to the public? That would be great if that is so, but what do we do in the meantime? Where is city planning? —Frustrated
This article appears in May 19-25, 2011.
Not their concern. The answer will be to take transit.
But if you really want a spot, get on kijiji – found them twice this way and I have one downtown now that is less than $100 a month, happy happy.
yeah I really hate looking for parking downtown. It seems like it’s designed more for pedestrians, which is fine.
You’re pretty much better off taking a damn cab every day or the bus/fairy, depending on where you live. I’m glad I live and work in Dartmouth. Working on Barrington in the summer had its perks, but the bus ride over the bridge every morning is just a shitty way to start your day.
take the fucking bus.
Buses aren’t available to everyone. Not everyone lives on a bus route
Not to mention it sucks carrying all your shit everywhere you go, not having a car to leave your gym bag or brief case or whatever in. Fuck the bus. If it ran more than once every 30 mins and hired drivers who knew thing 1 about dealing with people, I’d re consider.
I hate metro transit with the burning furious passion of 10 billion suns. The ferry’s alright tho.
I’m still keeping an eye open for the driver that got in my face and screamed at me over a fucking transfer, about a year ago now, he better hope I never see him again as long as I live.
Or the one who slammed the door in my face, while looking right at me, when I wasn’t even late for the bus, I had been waiting for it for several minutes, had just got off work at my shitty fast food job at the time, and because he didn’t like the look of me I had to walk where I was going, uphill in the rain. I hope he dies a slow and excruciating death..
So how’s everyone’s day going?
There are a couple places I like to go to downtown occasionally, usually on the weekends, and there is NEVER any parking. I hate taking the bus on the weekends because the times are really bad out in Cowie Hill, but half the time I end up circling the same 6 blocks four or five times before I get a spot or just leave.
hardduke: if you don’t live on a bus route, there are lots of park and rides at bus terminals, many of them being free. Simply park your shitmobile there and take the bus into the downtown core. I commuted from Wolfville one summer and that’s exactly what I did and it wasn’t really all that big of a hassle/deal. Instead of bitching about lack of parking/cost of parking, I *gasp* found a solution to offset that! WOW! What a concept!
I think the city has a responsibility to provide for public transit, but I don’t think they have any responsibility to provide for parking for any vehicles except those with disabilities. Every part of the downtown/outter core is covered by a bus route and there are plenty of stops — in fact, the stops are closer together in Halifax than many other cities (like, gawd forbid anyone who is able WALK any amount of distance!).
And why does one need to carry around so much shit? i can see if you’re shopping for groceries, but most grocery stores provide parking so that shouldn’t be an issue.
No, the issue here is people are too LAZY to take the bus. Hay sometimes I’m too lazy to take the bus and would rather take the car but my GOD I don’t think it’s the city’s fault for not providing parking (when most land here is oh, private land).
This whole blaming the “government” for every fucking problem people have these days is ridiculous. I swear someone could shit their drawers and blame the mayor.
lol good post PK
Why are these garages closing though? OB makes a good point, they were full, so all the sudden we have hundreds more cars and no more parking spaces. Were they not making money? I mean that’s gotta be the reason. I mean when you buy a car for commuting purposes only to find out there’s nowhere to park, even if you have the money to pay for it… That’s gotta really, truly suck ass.
If buses aren’t available on your routes and you live in the HRM, call your Councilor. The dude who represents Sambro got them a community bus that runs efficiently, hourly, and the service is personal. Bus services in HRM will only improve if people speak up … or have their representatives speak up for them …
And no, PK it’s not their responsibility but it’s in their best interest because people are getting fed up and leaving over this kind of shit.
If you don’t want to take the bus and can afford a car and a parking space but there are no parking spaces available, that’s some bullshit. People shouldn’t be forced to take the bus because it really does suck balls. If our transit wasn’t so shitty I’d be less sympathetic.
I wonder what they’re going to do with these buildings that used to be parking garages. It better be something damn good.
There is ALWAYS parking downtown, no matter what. People are just too god damn lazy and don’t feel like walking for any longer than 30 seconds from where they park their car to wherever they’re going. People would rather “circle the same 6 blocks four or five times” than park their car a little further away and walk. When I used to live in Shitmouth and would come to Halifax I would park at the StupidStore on Barrington or Quinpool and just walk wherever. It might have taken me like OMG 10 MINUTES to walk where I was going but seriously, that isn’t anything.
Basically I don’t like Halifax all that much, or Nova Scotia or the Maritimes in general. Give me a city where I can get where I want to go in a relatively pain free and civilized manner. Give me not just a handful but a plethora of busses or other means of transportation that runs more than once every 30 minutes.
I don’t bitch anymore, I’m gonna move, I’m sure others will do the same.
Halifax is cool and all I’m just sick of it. I’ve outgrown it. It’ll be here for me when I’m old and grey and then I’m sure I’ll like it just fine.
park in the middle of the street, leave car. you won’t have to worry about a parking spot again, trust me.
Why do we carry around so much shit…..
Well let me introduce you to the Occupational Heath & Safety Rules
http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/occp…
Then there’ more fun
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/labour/ipg/065.…
Lets not forget I need ladders & scaffolding
http://www.olelearning.com/ladder-safety-t…
http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/regulations/regs…
So when I walk into a job site, without any scaffold or ladders just to check a system or rig on the ground. I have to carry a minimum of 65/70 lbs of gear, that’s my harness & double lanyards, a couple of ropes, pulleys, extension lanyards, locking carabiners (steel), I have a spud (wrench) , a hammer, a couple of knives a C wrench, my multi tool .I have a second bag carrys my floor laser, my disto (distance laser) my calculator, tape measures (100 ft & 25 ft) & I often carry at least one rigging book on formula’s & theory. A high vis vest, my hardhat & I always bring extra socks & climbing shoes & have either the shoes or workboots on or in my bag as well.
Then there’s rope grabs for safety, I carry at least 2 ascenders, a rescue 8, a Grigri belay, & I swear by never going anywhere without a rack, I swear by this one – http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/cli…
Try dragging that shit on a bus some time…you think people complain about large strollers, my rigging bag is larger than a cross country backpack & my second bag for lasers etc. is the biggest back pack I could find & its full !
This is when I go out for my union , when I go for my company in charge, I need a car or truck to carry the 2 additional bags for rescue…because in this part of the world, your recue plan cannot be, call 911. WE have to be able to go out & rescue our co workers or have the gear there to be rescued ourselves !
L O L…why do we carry so much shit….because by law…we have to.
City Planning, oh that’s ripe as all hell, you do realise this is HRM don’t you?
OP, do a scout of the downtown core….there are plenty of hidden parking spots that are free 🙂
Yes, let’s level downtown and keep parking lots undeveloped left and right so some dunce who CHOSE to live outside the city can park his car there. Never mind how these ugly lots kill the energy of the area and contribute less to local businesses than if there were actually people living there and making efficient use of the land. No, it’d be better if we all lived in cookie cutter boxes in destructive, wasteful, toxic spectacles like buttfuck Dartmouth Crossing, eh?
If maintaining the eyesore oceans of asphalt that scourge the waterfront is your idea of good city planning you should maybe grab some Jane Jacobs or something ASAP.