The case for parking at McEuen
What common dilemma do popular downtown areas across the country share?
Whether you're talking about Seattle, Portland, New York or Dallas. The answer is the same: Parking is at a premium. Cities big and small share the same challenge: to provide adequate parking. And it comes at a price.
Coeur d'Alene is no different. As our great city enjoys a strong business climate downtown, we face a challenge of providing enough parking to accommodate the people who want to visit our shops, enjoy our beaches, and dine at our restaurants.
Currently, more than 60 percent of the available parking in the city's core is privately owned. Make no mistake, those spaces will not be around forever. That parking will disappear in the future as those property owners dedicate their land to other more prudent business ventures.
These popular parking spaces won't all go away on the same day or even the same year, but as we look ahead the next 20 years, it's important that the city increase the percent of publicly owned parking downtown. If not, we could face huge economic issues down the road.
Convenient parking in the urban setting is one of the biggest components to economic vitality. The fact is, if you don't have parking, or people have to look for space or drive an extended distance to park, they will not come downtown.
Which brings me to the McEuen Park improvements. This monumental project is not just about creating a better, more attractive and alluring park. A big cost of the upgrade almost-70 percent of the $11.5 million dedicated by the Lake City Development Corp. - will go toward improved parking. This initially includes an increase of 124 parking spaces. If the Third Street boat launch is relocated to a suitable location, we will gain another 150 spots.
Current plans include the reconstruction of Front Avenue, which will provide diagonal parking slots and increase parking spaces from 40 to 82. The new on-grade McEuen Park parking area will provide 458 spaces, down from the current 490. And improved parking east of City Hall will increase from 79 spaces to 199. All told, parking in the area will increase from 595 to 719.
Parking is such an important economic factor. It's been identified as one of the top three things that a city needs to maintain a healthy business sector. Now is the time to address this crucial need for public parking. The McEuen plan does just that.
And let's not forget what the community gets in addition to more public parking: a considerably more appealing area to visitors and locals alike, which will further attract people to our beautiful downtown.
The McEuen Park upgrades will transform four acres of asphalt into park space with amenities including a promenade, plaza, pavilion, and a multitude of other attractions that will attract a wide variety of people to downtown.
It's the perfect plan to ensure the future vibrancy of our city center-and that's a primary mission of the LCDC.
Jim Elder serves as chairman on the city's Parking Commission.