Gift from town: Free parking around Christmas

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer

Published on November 23, 2007

There will be free parking downtown for the nine days before Christmas again this year, though questions have arisen over how beneficial the policy is to businesses.

On Monday, the Select Board agreed to the same policy as last year. Motorists can park for free in the Boltwood Walk Parking Garage and the lot behind the CVS store on North Pleasant Street from Dec. 15 until Christmas.

In addition, there will be free parking throughout downtown, including at on-street meters, on Dec. 1. This is the day when many stores offer steep discounts on single items to customers who bring with them cards found in the Nov. 30 issue of the Amherst Bulletin and some issues of the Nov. 29 Gazette.

The lack of parking fees "sends a message of good will for the holidays," said Patty Brandts, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce.

Amherst used to have free parking at meters before Christmas, but this policy was limited last year to the garage and the CVS lot because of concerns over lost revenue.

Town Manager Larry Shaffer has said he isn't sure the free parking "is as effective as it seems." There's a temptation for business owners and employees to park all day, reducing turnover of spaces for shoppers, he said.

"We ought to really think about it," he said. "If free parking improves business traffic, then why wouldn't it improve business traffic all year long?"

John Coull, who stepped down as Chamber director last spring, expressed similar reservations. "Freeing up parking doesn't necessarily do everything people would like it to do," he said.

Brandts said she is grateful the Select Board agreed to the free parking. It's a "welcoming gesture" that's designed to help everyone, not just businesses, she said.

"It's not something you can quantify," she said. "Maybe you come to town and have lunch with a friend and can park and not worry about it. If you're working a shift at The Bagel Place, you don't have to pay for parking."

In Northampton, there will be free parking from Dec. 14 to 26 in the lots but not the garage, according to the Chamber.

The Select Board also agreed Monday to close the parking lot in front of Town Hall on the afternoon of Nov. 30 because of the annual Merry Maple celebration.