Business Owners Concerned About Parking Meters in Downtown Area

It’s been a week since parking meters were installed along Albert Street in downtown Belize City. The introduction of devices used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle in a particular location for a limited amount of time is part of a yearlong pilot project being undertaken by the Belize City Council. The initiative, however, is being met with mixed feelings by the business community. Business owners have expressed some concerns, but have reserved comment until Thursday when a public meeting is scheduled at the House of Culture to discuss those issues. Ahead of the meeting, Mayor Bernard Wagner discussed the advantages of the parking meter, despite the concerns at hand.

Bernard Wagner

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City Council

“It is a period that we are giving ourselves to really gather the necessary data to see if parking meters will work in the city. We are confident that it is a new tool because it’s socially; it really gives us that social component where each and every resident has the opportunity to enjoy a shared space of parking in the city. Economically, for businesses operating in those two zones, it gives those businesses the opportunity to have their customers park at the place they are doing business with. Thirdly, it is environmentally sound, that it will reduce the congestion in the city, people driving around looking for parking space, the emission of CO₂ in the air; the parking meters are solar panels. So it really addresses three areas: socially, economically and environmentally. Now, in terms of the complaint, we do have a public meeting set for this coming Thursday where we will hear the concerns of those residents after one week. But you have to give everything a chance; you have to give the project an opportunity to see how it works. You can’t just be negative in everything we do.”