Revisiting the Market District

[danbrotherston]

My solution to the Market problems would be:
1.  Charge top dollar for parking in the garage under the market, it's absurd this is free.
2.  Put up big HUGE temporary signs showing directions to the huge empty garage literally a block away from the market (and maybe even the Benton garage if things go really well).
3.  Close Market Ln on market days (maybe even put the fresh produce or flea market in the laneway).

This would work well. It would drive people to free parking not far away. And it would allow people who really, really want to park in the same building to do so -- albeit at a cost.

However, I would add
1B. Keep the handicapped parking spaces free of charge.

Why should handicapped parking be of a different cost than regular parking, people with disabled placards aren't necessarily poor.  The problem with making it free is that it provides an incentive to cheat the system.  Making it free could result in it being unavailable for those who do need it.

There are many differently abled folks who get to the market by other means as well, I think the market has a lot of improvements to make in terms of accessibility...I'm not sure free parking is the best one.

To be sure, this is a difficult question, one which Donald Shoup discusses in his books.