Free parking in downtown Kamloops every weekend until the end of 2019.

The Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association is happy with the change for the busy holiday season. Executive Director Carl Desantis says parking isn’t the biggest deterrent for people when thinking about coming and supporting local business, but is one more barrier removed. “Very appreciative of this for the downtown business community to encourage more people to come downtown and do some shopping and go and enjoy the menus at various restaurants. Saturday is a good start with the Blazers set to play.”

As the city moves ahead with a new parking strategy, Desantis says the KCBIA will be heavily involved in that process. “We’re looking forward to collaborating with the city and that organization. They’ll be neutral and they’ll be to identify whether we have parking challenges downtown. We all have some opinions, but let’s get some facts so we can make some informed decision going ahead.”

Desantis says a lack of employee parking is among the concerns. “The key message I hear from them is a longer term parking strategy for businesses to encourage and retain business downtown. To encourage more employee and business growth. Those are the conversations I have because there’s not a lot of employee parking downtown or so it appears.”

City officials say the city makes about $2,000 a day on parking in the downtown. So the move to waive parking fees on Saturdays will cost about $14,000.