Town Centre Park users will be able to find a parking spot with ease this coming fall, as the City has expanded its digital parking signage project with funding support from the federal government.
COQUITLAM, B.C., Oct. 15, 2020 – Town Centre Park users will be able to find a parking spot with ease this coming fall, as the City has expanded its digital parking signage project with funding support from the federal government.
The signs will display real-time parking availability in Town Centre Parks parking lots A, C, D and E and will improve driver and pedestrian safety, reduce illegal parking in the park and alleviate traffic congestion along Pipeline Road.
The project is a part of the City’s Five-Year Technology Roadmap and has received $550,000 in funding from the federal Gas Tax Fund, a cost-sharing infrastructure program administered in B.C. by the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
Parking at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park
A regional hub for sports, festivals and recreational use, Town Centre Park has five parking lots and a total of 820 spaces that are in high demand during major events.
Using data from the City’s fibre optic technology, the signs will display a real-time tally of empty spots in Town Centre Parking lots and direct drivers to other parking areas when it is full. The signs will give drivers a sense of what to expect and help them make more informed parking decisions – rather than simply circling the parking lot.
Currently, the City has two digital signs that were installed as part of a pilot project and are located on Pipeline Road at Guildford Way and at David Avenue to alert traffic coming from both the north and south about parking availability in lot B.
The new signage displaying the total number of parking slots available will be located at Pinetree Way and Trevor Wingrove Way. Additionally, the entrance of each parking lot (A, C, D & E) will display available slots.
Quotes:
“Town Centre Park is a crown jewel in Coquitlam’s park system and is used by hundreds of visitors each week. The digital parking signage will help to alleviate some of the pressure caused by busy parking lots and allow visitors to more easily enjoy the park, maintain their physical and mental health, while connecting with friends, family and others in their community. The Federal Gas Tax Fund program allows us to continue to improve infrastructure in Coquitlam, working with our federal and provincial partners and UBCM, making life in our community more enjoyable and more connected.” - Mayor Richard Stewart, City of Coquitlam
“Investing in infrastructure is key to supporting regional economies during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Coquitlam, the Town Centre Park digital parking signage project will make access to this award-winning facility more convenient for residents and users. Canada's Infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds stronger communities.” - Ron McKinnon, Member of Parliament for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
“The federal Gas Tax Fund provides valued support to local governments as they expand and upgrade local infrastructure. The expanded digital signage at Town Centre Park demonstrates how smart investments in technology can improve service delivery for local residents.” - Councillor Brian Frenkel, UBCM president
Coquitlam’s Technology Roadmap
Using technology to improve how the City works and delivers services is at the heart of Coquitlam’s Technology Roadmap, which guides how the City will choose, acquire and use technology for the next five years.
Adopted in February 2018, Coquitlam’s Technology Roadmap sought input from both external and internal stakeholders to identify opportunities where the City could leverage technology to improve its business functions and services to the Community.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the City’s tech team put its troubleshooting skills to work, addressing new and urgent needs, with a focus on remote services delivery and physical distancing.
The Roadmap was updated to prioritize:
- Remote work solutions
- Remote or physically distanced service delivery
- Automated processes
- Better public services
- Improved cybersecurity measures
For more information on the Technology Roadmap, visit www.coquitlam.ca/smart.
About the Federal Gas Tax Fund
The federal Gas Tax Fund is in its 16th year of delivering funding to local government infrastructure and capacity-building projects in British Columbia. During that time, the fund has transferred over $2.5 billion to B.C.’s communities. The fund provides municipalities across the country with a permanent, stable and indexed source of infrastructure funding. For more information, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gtf.
Supporting Our Community During the Pandemic
The City of Coquitlam is here to help, with these resources:
- Visit www.coquitlam.ca/csrp to learn about the City’s Community Support and Recovery Plan, which is providing immediate and long-term support for the non-profit sector, businesses and residents;
- Visit www.coquitlam.ca/spirit for a free library of activities for all ages, including fitness, arts and culture, outdoor activities and ways to connect with your community; and
- Visit www.coquitlam.ca/covid19 for updates on City services and initiatives and COVID-19 health resources.
Coquitlam residents and businesses are also encouraged to follow the City of Coquitlam on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and download the CoquitlamConnect mobile app for up-to-date City information. Links are available at www.coquitlam.ca/connect.
Media contact:
Danny Bandiera
Manager, Information Communications & Technology
604-927-6301
Email