VICTORIA -- Parking restrictions are coming to numerous Victoria neighbourhoods as transportation experts try to find space for walkers.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps announced Monday that the city would begin with a temporary ban on street parking in the James Bay area.
The restrictions will block on-street parking on Simcoe Street between Government and Oswego streets.
On-street parking will also be barred on Menzies Street leading up to the Five Corners retail complex.
“These are very heavy pedestrian areas, and James Bay has a disproportionate number of seniors who need to get out and about,” Helps told the media in her daily address at city hall Monday.
“To be clear, we are not closing streets in James Bay, we are just making more room for pedestrians.”
Helps said the move to temporarily ban on-street parking came after a mass number of public requests.
The City of Victoria will begin its new pedestrian friendly program on Thursday, April 23, in James Bay.
Victoria transportation experts say they will expand the program to other neighbourhoods, including Quadra Village, Cook Street Village, Vic West and Fairfield.
Those pedestrian heavy areas could see changes in the coming weeks.
There is no timeline on how long parking will be banned.
