London’s free parking promotion in core business districts expires soon—but Old East Village seeking extension

Time is running out to use the two-hour free parking promo code “CORE” with the Honk Mobile App in London’s core area business districts.

However, the Old East Village Business Improvement Area (OEV BIA) warns it’s the wrong time to bring full price parking back to a pair of municipal lots used by its customers.

“We have our struggles here,” said General Manager of the OEV BIA Kevin Morrison. “I take a look at our parking lot here; we’re asking [council] not to remove the two hours of free parking.”

Council granted the BIA $500,000 last fall to mitigate some of the impact that the severe homelessness crisis is having on the business district.

Several new programs are being developed and launched, but in the meantime, Morrison wants municipal parking lot #1 and lot #2 (between Dundas Street and Queens Avenue) to continue with the promo code.

“What we’re asking for is our chance to come to the table and work with the city to come up with some kind of a collaborative measure that’s going to be beneficial for our local businesses,” he added.

The parking promotion began during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of city hall’s economic recovery strategies for Downtown London and the Old East Village.

Last summer, council extended it until March 31 because of the lingering economic impacts being experiences by local businesses.

On Monday, Coun. Susan Stevenson asked that the “CORE” code be extended in the two OEV parking lots in her ward, “This would go to Q3 of 2024 in the hopes that we will have done the things that are needed to make this just a temporary measure.”

City staff explained that the two-hour free parking program cost city hall about $3 million a year in lost revenue.

They estimated extending just the two lots in the Old East Village would cost $80,000 to $100,000.

“I’m just very concerned about the slippery slope that might add up if we were to approve those two municipal parking lots for free parking and we have all these other ones [in core areas],” said Downtown Coun. David Ferreira.

Stevenson’s motion was not recommended (4-1) by the committee.

“I would challenge [city hall] to prove those numbers to me, because they’re not even close,” asserted Morrison. “There’s no way that it would cost that [much]. In my estimate it might cost $30,000.”

He hopes to convince council that an extension is warranted before the promo code expires, “We’re prepared to invest in the city, but they need to invest in us. Don’t keep giving us obstacles.”

The next meeting of city council is on April 2, the same day that full price parking is scheduled to return to core business districts.