City is offering up to 15 minutes of free parking
Initiative is designed to encourage residents to order and pick up takeout
The Windsor-essex region's new lockdown status means restaurants won't have dine-in business for weeks to come — if not longer.
But the City of Windsor is hoping that a break on parking fees will encourage the public to support local eateries with takeout orders.
As of Monday, any vehicle at any meter in the city can have 15 minutes of free parking through the Passport Parking Canada app, making it easier to pick up meals on the go.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said the offer will remain available as long as the city remains under grey status on the Ontario COVID-19 response framework.
“Today, I'm proud that we are continuing to find ways to support small businesses in Windsor,” Dilkens said, pledging to help “our hometown entrepreneurs cope with the economic effects of this public health pandemic.”
To take advantage of the offer, motorists need to create an account with Passport Parking Canada (passportca.com), and download the app onto their smartphones.
When at a municipal parking meter or pay unit, simply log onto the app, enter Zone #3800, and then enter your licence plate number for 15 minutes of free parking.
The Zone # can be used once every six hours.
Gino Gesuale, co-owner of Windsor gourmet burger restaurant Motor Burger, believes the initiative is a good thing.
“Anything helps during these crazy times,” he said.
Located at 888 Erie St. East, Motor Burger doesn't have its own parking lot, so customers must use metered spots on Erie Street East or municipal pay lots in the area.
While Gesuale is grateful for the city's gesture, he wondered if takeout patrons might need a little more leeway than 15 minutes.
“Sometimes customers are picking up (their food at) exactly at the right time, sometimes they're running a little bit late. Sometimes we're running a little bit late, depending on our volume of orders,” Gesuale said.
“It's also depending on where
you're parking. If you're around the corner, let's say there's a threeor four-minute walk. You're doing your pick up, the servers are packing your bags — sometimes you're waiting five minutes.
“I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I think it's great the city is doing something to help. ... Fifteen minutes is maybe cutting it a bit close.”
Gesuale suggested 20 to 30 minutes of free parking time would make a bigger difference for takeout business.
Like many Windsor restaurants, Motor Burger has had to adapt quickly with the pandemic conditions, and now offers fully online ordering via thisismotor.com.
“We have been doing a lot of takeout business, and now it's all we can do,” Gesuale said. “We go 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. And then we go 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.”
“We were working on a takeout website prior to COVID. (The situation) has definitely fast-forwarded what we wanted to do.
“It's made us get better at our takeout game.”
Back in March, when Windsor was under Ontario's first lockdown conditions, Dilkens and the tourism bureau asked residents to embrace the new tradition of Takeout Tuesday — weekly ordering from independently owned restaurants as part of supporting local business.
Last week, Dilkens suggested Takeout Tuesday as an idea for the holiday season: purchasing a gift card at a small restaurant as a last-minute Christmas present.
“The gift of good food is sure to please, and your goodwill helps support Windsor restaurants that need our patronage now more than ever,” Dilkens said.