New app looks to improve RGH parking
Kyle Smyth wants to make parking easier for you. For now, he’s looking to help those wanting to park near Regina’s General Hospital.
Smyth and his friend, Matt Fahlman, have been around the city long enough to know what most everybody who is heading to the hospital also know: “the parking sucks.”
Complaints of a full lot and limited street parking are regular concerns for those hoping to find a place to leave their car while going into the hospital.
Smyth is confident he’s found a way to help fix that. Inspired by the success of apps like Airbnb and Uber, Smyth and Fahlman are hoping to solve your parking woes at the intersection of technology and the sharing economy.
The app — developed by Smyth, a software engineer — is called Offstreet Parking and it works like this: People who have a parking spot in the area, but are not using it all the time, put the parking spot up for rent. Those in need of parking log on to the app, look at the spots available and then book it for the time needed.
“We’ve got people in Regina who have a parking space, so they’re residents who live in the area, or community centres with excess parking,” says Smyth.
Those parking spaces, when not used, are advertised for temporary rent at a rate that, according to Smyth, will be competitive with what is being offered by privately managed parking lots and the General Hospital.
Money made from renting the parking space will mostly go back to the person renting out the space. Smyth says 70 to 75 per cent will go to the space owner, while the rest will cover administration costs and taxes.
The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region and General Hospital have long been lobbied to improve parking in the area, and Smyth is hoping the app will be a welcome solution to “an issue that affects everybody.”
“While it may not be them fixing the problem, if someone is helping to alleviate the problem I think the response will be positive,” he says.
In its final stages of development, Smyth says there are already community groups and residents who want to rent out parking spaces. A “test run” is happening right away, followed by a full rollout of the app.
Until that happens, Smyth is encouraging people to visit Offstreet’s website to find out more information about signing up.
While it may not be them fixing the problem, if someone is helping to alleviate the problem I think the response will be positive.