Finding parking in downtown Victoria amid the Boxing Week sales is tough enough, but the real problem on Wednesday was paying. Of the City of Victoria’s 280 downtown parking terminals, 80 have been damaged, and presumed torched.
A spokesperson for the city says it’s the worst case of vandalism to parking terminals in recent history, and maybe ever. The screens of the terminals have been melted, making it difficult – if not impossible – to follow the prompts for payment.
The city says VicPD has been notified of the vandalism spree, but a request for comment from CHEK News was not received Wednesday.
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A damaged parking meter in downtown Victoria is pictured on Dec. 27, 2023. (CHEK News)
It’s not known whether there has been damage to any of the Robins parking terminals downtown, but the city says they have not received any reports of damage to any of the downtown EV charging stations.
Replacement screens for the terminals have been ordered, though there’s no estimate yet as to how long repairs will take, or how much it will cost.
The City of Victoria parking app is still operational and the city urges people to continue to pay online. However, if you’re parked in a block with one of the damaged terminals, no ticket will be issued.
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Jordan Cunningham
