The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is working toward making downtown parking lots clean, well-lit, safe and easier to navigate.
On Wednesday, the Gold Star Standard Parking Program was launched, meant to encourage parking facilities to create cleaner and safer environments.
The first recipients to reach the Gold Star Standard are the Portage Place parkade, the Winnipeg Parking Authority operated surface parking lots at Stradbrook and Osborne, 457 Main Street, Alexander Docks, Garry Street and Assiniboine Avenue, and Paulin Street and Ross Avenue.
Achieving the standard will require improvements made to security, lighting, cleanliness, maintenance, signage, staff training and enforcement.
Parking facilities that reach the Gold Star Standard will display signs with a prominent gold star to put up at their parking lot entrances stating they are a “Cleaner and Safer Parking Facility.”
Other downtown parkades now pursuing the Gold Star Standard include The Radisson Downtown Winnipeg Hotel, Winnipeg Square Parkade and the Winnipeg Convention Centre parkade.
Businesses can apply to the program through the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, which costs between $500 to $1,000.
