PNE removes manned pay parking booths at Hastings Park under new digital system

Beginning today, the PNE is introducing some major pay parking changes to its Hastings Park fairgrounds, designed to streamline the visitor experience and operations.

The PNE is fully expanding its conventional digital pay parking system managed by EasyPark across its Hastings Park parking lots, and implementing license plate recognition enforcement, cashless payments, and new rate structures designed to reduce congestion and simplify operations.

EasyPark is essentially the City of Vancouver’s pay parking operator, running facilities on the City’s behalf and expanding into contracts at other sites and venues.

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“This change is part of a broader initiative to modernize PNE operations and align with parking systems across Metro Vancouver. The new system will improve traffic flow and provide guests with flexible payment options, enhancing the overall guest experience,” reads the PNE’s rationale for the changes.

Upon inquiry, PNE spokesperson Laura Ballance told Daily Hive Urbanized that prior to today’s changes, two parking lots were already administered by EasyPark during non-event periods.

What changes today is that EasyPark’s meters have now been installed at all other parking lots at Hastings Park, which will all charge for non-event parking site-wide.

As well, during events, visitors will now drive directly onto the site and pay for parking using the EasyPark meters or smartphone app, instead of stopping at the manned parking booths at the entrance to the parking lots. Crucially, this will eliminate the lines of vehicles that form around Hastings Park during events.

With such changes, the manned parking booths that have been a familiar part of the PNE experience for decades will now be removed, she says.

Historically, the PNE’s parking was managed directly by the organization through staffed booths at the entrance and flat-fee charges at major events. Payment was generally made on entry, with limited flexibility once parked.

Manned PNE parking booths at Hastings Park’s parking lots. (Google Maps)

Ballance notes that parking rates for both event and non-event times will remain the same.

During non-event times, visitors will have several parking options: 90 minutes for $7.13, hourly parking from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at $4.75 per hour, or flat rates ranging from $7.50 in the evening to $16.50 for a full day.

When events are taking place, rates increase depending on the size and type of event. Parking rates are as follows: $15 for Playland and trade shows, $20 for family-oriented shows such as Disney On Ice or Monster Jam, and $25 for the PNE Fair and other major concerts. Event rates begin two hours before the scheduled event start time.

The new on-site pay parking meters accept credit cards and Interac Visa. Coin payments are not accepted due to security concerns, including high instances of theft from the machines.

Visitors can also pay for their parking using smartphone apps such as ZipBy, Passport, Honk, and ParkMobile. Such digital capabilities also enable visitors to extend their time remotely, without having to return to the parking lot.

Annual reports for the PNE indicate that the combined annual operating and maintenance costs for “public safety and parking” have been a growing expense for the non-profit organization, increasing from $3.04 million in the 2019 fiscal year to $5.1 million in the 2024 fiscal year.