We've saved this old web page.

It told about this new FREE SHORT TERM PARKING feature and commended the Coral Company. Regrettably, in June the company that operates these meters for the Coral Company doubled the parking rates and also disabled the buttons that enabled the  "FREE SHORT TERM PARKING" feature.

Early in July Coral Company president Peter Rubin said this feature will be restored but not immediately.

Where does this stand two months later? We estimate that about 20 percent of the meters have had free short-term parking restored, though they haven't been labeled to tell parkers of the feature.

Nearby Coventry Village offers 15 minutes or 30 minutes free parking on its meters and tells parkers about the feature. Shaker Square should do the same!

For the record - the Square still has free parking lots: in the northeast quadrant behind CVS and in the southwest quadrant behind the movie theater.

AB September 8, 2011

 

PRESS THE BUTTON FOR FREE PARKING!


Yes, we know we need parking meters around the Square. Without meters, all the parking spaces would be taken all day by Rapid Transit riders and store employees.

For a long time folks have asked for free short-term parking at the Square. I remember it being requested at the open meeting called by SHAD in February 2004. For months this page asked for them. We know of other shopping areas, including the part of Larchmere Road that is in Shaker Heights and Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights, that offer free short-term parking.

Then it happened! Some time early in 2007, with no fanfare or announcement, more than 60 parking meters all around the Square were changed. Now the meters have a new small button which, when pressed, will give 15 minutes of free parking.

The improvement happened so quietly that though I park at the Square often, I kept feeding those %#!* meters.

Fifteen minutes isn't a lot of time. But it is enough time to drop off your dry cleaning or get a cup of coffee in the morning, to use one of the many ATMs around the Square, or to pick up a  take-out order on the way home.

It's not just about saving a dime. It's a courtesy — a small gesture that says welcome to the shopper. 

Thank you Coral Company.

Next steps:

  • For the City of Cleveland to change its parking meters along Shaker Boulevard the same way. In April 2007 our Ward 4 Councilman Kenneth Johnson said he would work on this.

  • For the Coral Company to make the same improvement in its meters in the northwest quadrant, behind Grotto, Lake Erie Artists Gallery and US Bank.
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