THUNDER BAY – Along with the new mobile parking app recently announced, Thunder Bay drivers can expect to see a lot more multi-space parking units in the near future.
The multi-space units allow for payment for parking by either card or coin and eliminate the need for multiple machines in a single stretch of parking spaces.
The multi-space units print drivers a ticket that they then display on their dashboard instead of having the time be displayed on the machine themselves, eliminating any possible confusion about which unit belongs to which space.
This gradual move towards newer technology does not mean that the old machines are a thing of the past just yet, currently, the expansion is only planned for highly used parking areas.
"That's a possibility in the future. It makes sense in the busier parking areas, but in the less busy parking areas it probably wouldn't make sense so we'll probably remain with the single space," said Jonathan Paske, supervisor, Thunder Bay Parking Authority.
At this point, Thunder Bay already has a few multi-use machines across the city, with the strongest focus being in the north-core which currently has eight
