Free transit and parking offered in Gastown this summer
Getting to one of Vancouver’s most popular neighbourhoods this summer has got a whole lot easier on the wallet.
The Gastown Business Improvement Society (GBIS) has announced that it will provide weekly free parking for up to three hours in the West Cordova parkade.
It is also partnering with over two dozen Gastown restaurants and retailers to offer free transit, part of its initiative to support local businesses in the area during its weekly Sunday Set car-free series.
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“These transportation initiatives are a direct response to what we learned from last year’s pilot, and from what the community has been asking for,” said Elise Yurkowski, director of operations for GBIS.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to experience everything the Gastown Sunday Set has to offer – without needing to stress about how they’re getting here.”
Three hours of free parking are available every Sunday until Aug. 31 at the EasyPark Lot 126, located at 151 West Cordova Street, accessible from West Cordova Street, just across from the Woodwards complex.
Gastown Parkade entrance for EasyPark Lot 126 at 151 West Cordova St., Vancouver. (Google Maps)
Each licence plate can access this free promotion once a week through the parkade’s Offstreet online parking payment platform. Using the platform, drivers can enter their licence plate number into Offstreet and click “PARK.”
After three hours, drivers can keep their vehicles in the parkade for longer by paying for additional parking time using the ZipBy app.
In addition to free weekly vehicle parking at the West Cordova parkade this summer, there will also be free public transit for people who directly support businesses in one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods.
Customers who shop, dine, or drink at a participating business within Gastown can ask for a free one-zone, single-trip fare pass on TransLink’s public transit system.
The list of participating businesses in this program includes:
- Artemesia
- Artina’s Jewellery
- Bear with M
- The Block
- Capelleria Bertacchi
- Clough Club
- Colourbox
- F As In Frank
- Gifts and Things
- Gringo
- Inform Interiors
- Kimprints
- The Lamplighter
- Make Gastown
- Milano Coffe
- Monaco Cafe
- Nelson the Seagull
- Nurture with Nature
- One of a Few
- Out & About
- Petrichor Social
- Playhaus
- Roden Gray
- Rowan Sky
- SIISTA
- Silver Gallery
- Vinyl Records
City of Vancouver
Those travelling on other modes of transportation will also be cared for during the Gastown Sunday Set.
The City of Vancouver is offering a free Bike Valet service from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Abbott Street and Water Street, courtesy of BEST. And those using the new Lime e-scooters can get discount codes on Sundays to ride to the weekly car-free event.
With files from Kenneth Chan
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