Mayor Says Meters Will Increase Access to Businesses

The Belize City Council is also taking its responsibility for on-street-parking up a notch. Soon, people will have to pay to park along the City Streets, especially in the busiest business areas like downtown Belize City. CitCo is launching a parking meter pilot project. For the first year, ten parking meters will be installed on Albert Street, and four will be placed at B.T.L. Park. Motorists will be charged from a prepaid card at a rate of three dollars an hour to park in these areas. Mayor Wagner told us more.

Bernard Wagner

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City Council

“We have found out that many a times, say for instance Brodies, people park in front of Brodies all day. The people that work in the downtown area, they would go downtown early in the morning, seven, eight, they will get their parking spot and park on the City prime real-estate the entire day. No other resident has the opportunity to use that space. Do you think that is fair, man? We are concerned that we have many vendors who are our vendors in B.T.L. Park who conduct business, but people who want to access their business in the park is unable to do so, because very early in the morning, there are people who work a different establishment in that area who parks the entire day. So when someone drives up to the park to access service from those food vendors in the park they are unable to do so. They get a ticket. That is not equitable. That is not fair for our residents of this City. We at the City Council control on street parking. We want to regulate on street parking so that all the residents have equal opportunity to access that space.”