Controversial Enmax Centre paid parking set to begin next month

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on August 9, 2022.

Herald photo by Al Beeber Paid parking is set to go into effect start on Sept. 1. at the Enmax Centre.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Paid parking will be implemented Sept. 1 at the Enmax Centre with four kiosks available for people to use.

Two kiosks will be out front of the facility while two others will be inside, said Enmax Centre general manager Kim Gallucci Monday.

Lethbridge College students will be offered several parking packages which will be less expensive than campus parking with the best bang for the buck being to pay per semester, Gallucci said.

Lethbridge Hurricanes season ticket holders and volunteers will be exempt for parking during regular season and playoff games. They will be supplied with hang tags (rearview mirror) which they can easily transfer to other vehicles they may be driving, said Gallucci.

The decision to provide free parking to those ticket holders was made to lessen the financial impact on the Western Hockey League team by the paid parking program.

For all other patrons of concerts, trade shows, graduations, cultural events and of course sporting contests, the fee will be $5 per vehicle.

Gallucci recommends patrons download the Flowbird parking app used by the City for parking downtown. With the app, patrons can pay in advance on their phone.

Those who choose to use kiosks will find they have a tap function which will speed up the process.

Initially, the Enmax Centre will employ “ambassadors” to assist people as they use the kiosks. Payment methods will include Interac Flash, coin, MasterCard, Visa, Apple and Android Pay and pre-paid City parking cards.

Parking will not be charged for small user groups who come to the facility for such reasons as rec hockey or birthday parties.

Parking for students will be primarily on the west side of the building, said Gallucci. Parking options include daily, weekly, monthly and semester, the general manager said.

Efforts were made to make student pricing “somewhat affordable. It’s not zero but it at least is not the level of the college,” he said.

“We’re really encouraging people to download the app.”

Because paid parking is new, the Enmax Centre staff knows it may have to make some changes and staff will adapt.

“We’re trying to make this as least as impactful as we can but still meet our budget requirements to reduce our tax support,” said Gallucci.

Gallucci said the facility worked with the Hurricanes to come to a solution for season ticket holders.

He said the Canes “have been good to work with,” adding the team made it clear they did not want paid parking.

“Season ticket holders are very important to them and by making this work and by making the playoffs work for them, it’s probably the best situation of the paid parking scenario that we could come up with. It took us a little while but we got there.”

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