Champaign City Council Keeps Status Quo on Downtown Parking Rates

Parking rates in downtown Champaign will stay pretty much as they are, thanks to action by the Champaign City Council last night. Council members endorsed the latest phase of the downtown parking plan, but voted against any change in parking rates and hours.

The city council voted last year to raise downtown parking rates and extend enforcement hours to pay off bonds on the new Hill Street parking deck. Parking rates now go as high as 75 cents an hour in the core of downtown, and those rates are enforced until 9 PM. Some downtown business owners told the council the move was bad news for them. Salon owner Paul Kane told the council, "I think the inception of this parking rate has really hurt the smaller businesses, that depend on people that are going to come down here for an hour or two and spend a short period of time to spend some money".

But Councilman Tom Bruno says the most expensive parking areas in downtown Champaign are usually crowded, because they're where people want to be. "When it's 75 cents hour here by the Equire," said Bruno, referring to a bar across the street from the City Building, "and 50 cents over by West Side Park, they want to spend 75 cents and park right outside the Esquire, because that's where the action's at."

Plus, says Bruno, the city needs parking revenue to pay off the parking deck bonds. But Councilman Mike LaDue says he fears that downtown Champaign will gain a reputation --- deserved or not --- as being difficult to park in.

While there will be no change in basic parking rates, city staff say they'll look at way to clarify parking rules that many find confusing, as well as ways to promote the new downtown parking deck.