Mayor Wagner, “Parking Meters Are Here to Stay”

Last week when Hofius Store announced that it was going to close down later this year, the word was that the parking meter system in the downtown area was a factor in the company’s declining business. And a number of other businesses in the downtown area have also said off-record that they, too, feel as if the parking meters are a deterrent to business. But today when we met with him, Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner explained why the concept behind the meters was never to hinder business activity. In fact, he said that the metering is to allow all city residents a chance to access the parking area.

Bernard Wagner

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“Parking meters are here to stay. It’s a part of the ecosystem of a smart city. You travel anywhere in the world, municipalities control on-street parking. We can’t control off street parking, but the city has a responsibility to ensure that the spaces that are on street are regulated and that me and you and my brother here have equal opportunity to use that space. The shop – the people who were parking there were not going into those stores to shop. They were people who were working in the downtown area and parked there all day. Even if we don’t have parking meters, people will still not be able to access based on what you are implying. Parking meters were placed there not to earn any substantive funds or anything. It was to regulate the space and that is working. If you go to Brodies, I challenge you to go to Brodies, any one of those areas that have businesses in that area, they would say that people drive right up there. I met a lady during Christmas and she said, I’ve never been in the downtown area, but now I’m able to go there and drive right up, pay my dollar, go in the shop, come out back.”