The announcement was made on Monday and the free period will be extended to encompass all of next year as city officials have decided to continue to waive parking fees at the garage.
The decision to make the parking garage temporally free for use was made in the fall of 2020 due to the local economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. That decision was then extended to include all of 2021 and now 2022.
“Our community has endured a lot of hardships due to COVID-19, and offering free parking at the garage through 2022 is one thing we can do to alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic, as well as lending support to our local businesses,” said Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck.
“Many in our community have discovered the convenience of using the garage, and we hope this gives even more people an opportunity to experience that,” he added.
Prior to the decision to make it free, regular rates to park in the garage were $2 per hour at a daily maximum of $6; the monthly rate was $55. All of those fees have since been waived and when those fees will return will be reevaluated toward the end of next year, said Heck.
The parking garage opened in May of 2020 less than a year after construction on three-story structure began. The facility includes 305 parking spaces and more than 3,000 square feet of first-floor retail space that faces existing storefronts on North Fountain Avenue.
The $6.8 million project was a collaborative effort between the City of Springfield, Clark County, State of Ohio, Clark State Community College, and the Community Improvement Corporation.
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