WATCH: See how long it really takes to find a parking spot during the holiday rush in Victoria. Ceilidh Millar reports.
If you’re planning to head downtown, to a shopping centre or to the airport before Christmas – be ready to face a serious case of the holiday parking woes.
“I already got a $30 parking ticket,” said one frustrated driver trying to find parking in Downtown Victoria. “I hate parking down here. If there’s no parking, I’m not going to come down here.”
“I usually ride my bike so this is new to me” said another driver.
By Friday morning, the long-term parking lot was filled to capacity at Victoria’s International Airport.
The airport’s overflow procedures are now in effect to help keep up with the huge holiday demand.
“When you come to the regular parking lot, you’ll see staff there that are going to direct you to a different area of the airport” explained James Bogusz of the Victoria Airport Authority. “Make sure to leave extra time to get to your flight.”
Getting on and off Vancouver Island is only the beginning.
Friday afternoon was traffic chaos in the Hillside Mall parking lot – on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
“I had to run around a little bit to find a spot,” said one woman.
CHEK News decided to put people’s parking patience to the test.
Reporter Ceilidh Millar timed how long it would take to find a parking spot at the mall and on city streets.
At Hillside Mall, it took more than three and a half minutes to find a parking spot in the afternoon.
In Downtown Victoria, it took almost 12 minutes of driving around to find a place to park.
Drivers – be ready to pack some patience over the holidays when it comes to finding parking.
Ceilidh Millar
