Digital signs are now directing drivers to available parking spots at all five of the lots at Town Centre Park.
COQUITLAM, B.C., June 9, 2021 – Digital signs are now directing drivers to available parking spots at all five of the lots at Town Centre Park.
New signs displaying real-time parking availability went up this week at the intersection of Pinetree Way and Trevor Wingrove Way and at the entrances of parking lots A, C, D and E – thanks to a $500,000 contribution from the federal Gas Tax Fund, a cost-sharing infrastructure funding program administered in B.C. by the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
The new signs complement two existing digital signs for lot B, installed on Pipeline Road at Guildford Way and David Avenue through a pilot project in 2018.
Improving Service through Technology
A destination for sports, festivals and recreational use, the award-winning Town Centre Park has five parking lots and 820 spaces that are in high demand during major events.
Linked to the City’s fibre optic network, the digital parking signs will show drivers in real time if a lot is full and where they can find empty spots elsewhere.
The signs improve driver and pedestrian safety, curb illegal parking, reduce vehicle idling and alleviate traffic congestion along Pipeline Rd. and in the park.
The project was delivered through Coquitlam’s Five-Year Technology Roadmap, which guides City investments in technology to improve service delivery, business functions and operational efficiency.
More information about the Technology Roadmap can be found at www.coquitlam.ca/smart. For maps and information about Town Centre Park, search the City’s Park Finder at www.coquitlam.ca/parkfinder.
Quotes
“This investment will support modern, efficient infrastructure projects like the new digital signs at Town Centre Park. Using technology to reduce traffic congestion and car idling will benefit residents attending community events, playing sports, and other recreational activities at the park while ultimately helping to reduce emissions. Through Canada’s infrastructure plan, we are investing in projects across the country to create good jobs and build cleaner, greener and more inclusive communities.”
– Ron McKinnon, Member of Parliament for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Inrastructure and Communities
“With summer around the corner and more people heading outdoors, these new digital parking signs will be a welcome addition for both community members and visitors enjoying the park. Together with the federal government, the Province is proud to invest in this community-led project which will boost driver and pedestrian safety and decrease vehicle idling and traffic congestion, making the park a safe and fun place to visit.”
– Fin Donnelly, Coquitlam – Burke Mountain MLA on behalf of Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs
“Town Centre Park is not only a community focal point but a regional destination, and anyone who has driven there during a festival, sporting event or even on a sunny weekend will know the value of this new digital parking signage. Real-time information to guide motorists can actually improve pedestrian safety. This project will improve the experience of all visitors to the park, which has become even more important over the past year as a safe place for people to get outdoors, exercise and connect with others. We appreciate the support of our federal and provincial partners and the Union of B.C. Municipalities as we work to improve services for the community.”
– Mayor Richard Stewart, City of Coquitlam
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, administered in British Columbia by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, provides municipalities across the country with a permanent, stable and indexed source of infrastructure funding. For more information, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gtf.
The Government of Canada has recently proposed renaming the federal Gas Tax Fund to the “Canada Community–Building Fund”. For more information on federal infrastructure programs, visit: www.infrastructure.gc.ca.
Media contact:
Danny Bandiera
Manager Information Communications and Technology
City of Coquitlam
604-927-6301
dbandiera@coquitlam.ca