HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS - CarShare Parking at City Facilitiesù? ªÆÃ`?
Unit 203-290 King St E.
Kitchener, ON N2G 2L3
tel: 519.578.1895
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fax: 519.579.2195
info@grandrivercarshare.ca
www.grandrivercarshare.ca
September 8, 2010
Dear Janet Billett,
I look forward to our upcoming committee delegation, and would like to provide
the following background information to support Councillors in their decision.
Grand River CarShare is a non-profit co-operative, providing carsharing services
in our community since 1998. Carsharing consists of self-serve access to reserved
vehicles stationed throughout the community, with members being billed for their usage
on an hourly and distance basis. By supplementing traditional sustainable
transportation modes with occasional access to a car, over 300 driving members are
able to make greener mobility choices more feasible. In turn, they are able to reduce
household expenses, pollution and hassles. In light of these and other benefits, our
membership has grown consistently in the 30-40% range each year for the last four
years, a common rate of expansion throughout the North American carsharing industry.
The expansion and wide adoption of carsharing also supports many of the goals
we share with our municipal partners, including: advancing transportation demand
management, improving air quality, relieving poverty, provision of essential and
equitable mobility, reduction of road and parking congestion, mitigation of climate
change, enhanced neighbourhood vitality, and so on. Given such an alignment of
goals, we have built over the last decade a lasting and productive relationship with the
municipalities we serve (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Hamilton). The Regional
Municipality and the City of Waterloo both joined the City of Kitchener in early support
through lines of credit. As we expanded service to Cambridge, a similar commitment in
that community was made, bringing our total municipal credit to $120,000 (of which the
City of Kitchener provides up to $30,000).As a consequence, area municipalities have
earned thousands of dollars in interest from these arrangements, while furthering a
strategic improvement to residents’ quality of life.
Beyond financial support, municipalities have become engaged as parking
providers and corporate members. By supporting our corporate members (including the
Regional Municipality), we are able to reduce employee parking demand, improve fleet
efficiencies, and thus reduce costs. Corporate drivers registered under the membership
are empowered to make more sustainable choices for their commute (transit, cycling,
carpooling, etc.) instead of driving alone, without losing the ability to access a vehicle for
working trips during the day. This breaks down critical barriers to greener choices.
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Parking provision is a role which provides great leverage in extending carsharing
services throughout the community. As we face the challenge of expanding beyond our
current stations in the downtown core and along the King Street corridor, we have
learned to use parking as the leading edge. By installing reserved parking signage, we
develop an institutional presence in the neighbourhood, recruit new members, and are
able to support the stationing of a CarShare vehicle at the location. Without that basic
local presence, member growth in the immediate area is slowed dramatically, as
residents are less certain of where the service will be delivered as we grow. Normally,
at least 20 new members within walking distance of a new vehicle station are required
to support it, with early adopters cycling or taking transit to existing stations until local
membership is sufficient. To implement this strategy, it is quite appropriate to provide
immediate parking throughout the city, to allow growth to occur wherever it is naturally
demanded by residents. Instead of a piecemeal approach, an ambitious and broad
assignment of reserved spaces is appropriate.
The City of Waterloo stepped forward in the last year to make a concerted effort
in expanding reserved parking provision to Grand River CarShare. While all the
municipalities we serve have at some point provided a small number of downtown
revenue lot spaces, the key to future growth is to utilize the non-revenue spaces
available at City facilities. These could include the full range of community centres,
libraries, fire stations, administrative and operations buildings, arenas and athletic fields,
residential and social service facilities, and so on. With support from both the City of
Waterloo and the University of Waterloo, we were recently able to expand our number
of reserved and signed locations (future stations) by more than 20. I’m sure that given
the scope outlined in the facilities list above, more than 50 spaces could be considered
by the City of Kitchener. This is perhaps the most powerful tool the City might use in
expanding sustainable transportation services without incurring any additional costs.
There are many details which we would be happy to address further with any
interested staff or in addressing the questions of Councillors. That being said, the
proposal is quite simple: first, to permit the co-operative to station our vehicles at non-
revenue reserved parking spaces throughout our community; second, to explore the
potential of following the Region’s leadership in becoming a corporate member and
finding new ways to support employees and reduce costs.
We look forward to continuing to complement the City’s efforts in empowering our
neighbours to make green choices, and creating a more sustainable future for our
community.
Sincerely,
Jason Hammond
President, Grand River CarShare and Hamilton CarShare
(519) 578-1895
jason@grandrivercarshare.ca
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