One Hour Free Parking

[GRDadof3]

GR offers shoppers one hour of free parking

Friday, November 11, 2005

By Chris Knape

The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS -- The city's Parking Commission broke with a long-standing tradition Thursday, voting to provide coupons for one hour of free parking to downtown restaurants and retailers.

The move, which needs approval by City Commission, is intended as a pilot program to help bring more holiday shopping dollars downtown.

http://www.mlive.com/business/grpress/inde...ll=6&thispage=1

[torgo]

GR offers shoppers one hour of free parking

Friday, November 11, 2005

By Chris Knape

The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS -- The city's Parking Commission broke with a long-standing tradition Thursday, voting to provide coupons for one hour of free parking to downtown restaurants and retailers.

The move, which needs approval by City Commission, is intended as a pilot program to help bring more holiday shopping dollars downtown.

http://www.mlive.com/business/grpress/inde...ll=6&thispage=1

Execellent idea. A lot of people have complained that its a pain to pay for parking when you are going into a couple stores for a half-hour, especially on event nights, because then you gotta buy a six-dollar parking ramp ticket.

[GRDadof3]

I think another thing they need to do (maybe it's already there) is to direct people to the Monroe Center ramp where Monroe Center ends at Division. If people, like the lady in the article, drive by that end of Monroe Center and don't find a spot on the street, they may give up and go elsewhere because they don't know the best way to get back (since the whole stretch is one way). There should be signs at the end of Monroe Center bringing them around Division and back down Fulton, and then up Ionia again to the ramp. IMO> Either that or open it up to two-way traffic.

[NorthCoast]

This is a nice gesture by the city. With the ever continuing development downtown it would seem only more and more businesses will be setting up shop downtown(at least I hope so). How great would it be to do all of your holiday shopping downtown(the way it used to be).