CALDWELL, Idaho — The City of Caldwell recently installed new parking meters in the core of downtown. We spoke with local business owners about how they expect the new parking program to impact them.
- Downtown paid parking won't begin until sometime in May.
- City leaders are inviting local businesses to participate in a discussion and update session about the new program on Monday, April 15 at 2:00 PM, at the City of Caldwell Train Depot.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
A new parking system will be "COMING SOON" to downtown Caldwell.
Although the city recently installed these parking meters, downtown visitors won't have to pay to park until sometime in May.
"I do think that there is going to be a little bit of a challenge in the beginning," says Christina Rock, the owner of Spectagals in Downtown Caldwell.
Her boutique shop offers eyewear and other gifts.
She tells me downtown parking can be a challenge for her customers.
"I hope that our community will understand that there's a situation with parking and this is hopefully going to help," says Rock.
Dawn Bashore owns the nearby Fire and Ice Pottery Studio and says parking directly impacts her customers too.
"It's vital, I have a lot of customers that are elderly and can't walk very far. Their ability to get here and park somewhere close is important to my business,"
says Bashore.
Bashore fears the added dollar and hour cost could turn people away from stopping by her studio at all.
"It's going to have a dramatic impact. talking to my customers, you know with the economy the way it is they can't afford to pay to park in addition to paying to come in and do something at my studio. so if the cost is going to be even greater for them to come here I'm gonna lose business," says Bashore.
City Leaders say that the new program aims to alleviate congestion by encouraging long-term parkers -- like local employees-- to park in the free parking lots a few blocks from the core of downtown.
"Time will tell and then also time will tell of whether or not businesses can sustain through it all and hopefully we can," says Rock.