Let’s head back to the summer of 1964 when city council authorized a bylaw to introduce a 50-cent parking charge at Centennial Beach.
Each car provided funding toward the upkeep and development of the park, but several upset people on the first day the charge in mid-July turned around and left.
Parks superintendent John Howard said a total of 380 car owners on the first weekend paid the fee.
He said three men were in attendance at the park during peak hours and they gave proper parking service, guiding drivers to spots.
Centennial Beach, still owned by the City of Delta, is now part of Boundary Bay Regional Park and managed by Metro Vancouver. Pay parking is not in effect at the beach.
However, the Boundary Bay Permit Parking Program is place from May 1 to Sept. 8 on weekends and statutory holidays.
That's because the parking lot at Centennial Beach has often exceeded capacity, resulting in spillover traffic entering the Boundary Bay neighbourhood.
Boundary Bay residents are provided permits to allow them to park on the streets and boulevards without time limitations.
Metro Vancouver this year began a pilot project to give real-time parking information to people planning to travel to Boundary Bay Regional Park and Iona Beach Regional Park.
