Toronto Parking Authority
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The Toronto Parking Authority is a public corporation owned by the City of Toronto.
According to the Toronto Parking Authority website in 2005, it operates 160 municipal parking lots containing about 20,000 spaces. Twenty of these lots accounting for approximately 10,000 spaces are garages. The remaining 10,000 spaces are contained in approximately 140 surface lots. Parking lots that are operated by the Toronto Parking Authority are marked with green signs with their signature P in the middle, hence, "Green P" parking.
In late 2005 and throughout 2006, the TPA began the process of automating many of their surface carparks, notably Carparks 5, 12, 39, 49, and 58. Equipping these carparks allows the TPA to operate these lots on a 24-hour basis. They are operated by cashiers during the day during peak business hours and then are run by exit pay stations later on at night. The exit pay stations accept coins and credit cards only as a method of payment. Yet despite being in place for over a year and having numerous signs around the parking lot at the entrance and exits, customers are still dumbfounded by the fact that "they can't pay cash" at the exit stations. This has led to several problems including (but not limited to) broken gates, tailgating, bills inserted into the credit card slot at the exit, into the coin slot at the exit and even bills left in the change dispenser at the exit. By September 2006, Carpark 29 will become a fully automated parking garage where customers make payments at the designated pay stations rather than to the cashiers. Automating the car parks has reduced the need for part-time student staff.
2007 marked the end of Maurice Anderson's tenure as president of the Toronto Parking Authority. On April 30th 2007, Gwyn Thomas was appointed the new president. Thomas was the former vice-president.
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[edit] Operations
The TPA splits its operations in two - On Street Parking and Off Street Parking. Off street parking are usually major lots built in commercials districts and strips where the amount of parking demanded exceeds the spaces available on the street. Major parking lots are usually attended by cashiers to collect payment. In parking lots where turnover generally isn't high and revenue is low to moderate, customers must purchase tickets from pay and display machines and place them in their dashboard. Enforcement of parking the TPA's lots are carried out by their own enforcement officers or "Taggers".
[edit] Enforcement
Customers who fail to pay or park longer for the amount of time that they purchase are issued a one time Courtesy Envelope. If they are found to be violating the parking, they are automatically issued $30 police tags.
[edit] List of major lots operated by the TPA
Charles/Hayden Garage, Carpark #1, 430 Spaces
Wellesley St. Lot, Carpark #5, 133 Spaces
Rosehill Garage, Carpark #11, 545 Spaces
Alvin Ave. Lot, Carpark #12, 166 Spaces
St. Clair Garage, Carpark #13, 250 Spaces
Yorkville/Cumberland Garage, Carpark #15, 1036 Spaces
Queen/Victoria Garage, Carpark #26, 650 Spaces
Holly/Dunfield Garage, Carpark #29, 460 Spaces
Air Canada Centre Lot, Carpark #32, 330 Spaces
Dundas Square Garage, Carpark #34, 270 Spaces
City Hall Parking Garage, Carpark #36, 2086 Spaces
Castlefield Ave. Lot, Carpark #39, 133 Spaces
St. Lawrence Garage, Carpark #43, 2008 Spaces
Roehampton Ave. Lot, Carpark #49, 126 Spaces
University Ave. Garage, Carpark #52, 323 Spaces
Bloor/Bedford Garage, Carpark #58, 399 Spaces
Kensington Market Garage, Carpark #68, 450 Spaces
Larch St. Garage, Carpark #150, 357 Spaces
St. Clair/Yonge Garage, Carpark #161, 173 Spaces
Dragon City Garage, Carpark #163, 129 Spaces
Yorkville Lot, Carpark #215, 175 Spaces
Beecroft Garage, Carpark #404, 401 Spaces
Beecroft Lot, Carpark #410, 173 Spaces
