Michigan City park board approves ParkMobile system, will move to hourly parking at Washington Park

The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on Jan. 21 approved a ParkMobile mobile-payment system and a companion enforcement and collections contract for Washington Park, a move staff said will replace the park’s flat $20 gate fee with hourly pricing and digital validation options.

Staff said the system will use an app, QR codes and text payments, backed by four pay stations placed around the park. Officials said there will be a registration process for annual sticker holders and a contractor, Park Loyalty, to manage citation processing so citations do not add to the city court workload. The board voted to approve the ParkMobile agreement, purchase of pay stations and the Park Loyalty enforcement contract.

Why it matters: staff projected that switching from a flat $20 fee to hourly parking could reduce short visits’ costs — for example, a two-hour zoo visit could fall to roughly $6 if an hourly rate near $3 is adopted — and make casual, short-duration visits less expensive for nonresidents. Staff also said the system creates options for validations (for the zoo or restaurants) and special-event flat fees for high-volume days such as boat races or July 4.

Board and public questions focused on implementation and equity. Residents asked how annual stickers would work in the new system and whether seniors or longtime users would be unduly burdened by an app-based approach; staff answered that residents with annual stickers will still be registered in the system and will not need the app to be admitted, and that the system includes in-person registration options. Staff committed to outreach and suggested the program could start the week before Memorial Day when the park opens for the season.

Public concerns included enforcement staffing and the prospect of citations being issued by contracted staff. Bruce Manor, a resident who identified himself from Autumn Trail, asked about short visits to watch sunsets and said: “Do they have to pay to park just to watch a sunset?” Staff replied that drive-through traffic that does not park would not be charged but that a parked vehicle would be subject to the hourly system; staff also noted enforcement would not be 24/7 and overnight parking would not be enforced.

Staff said there is no upfront capital cost to the city for ParkMobile; the system’s costs are processed as user fees and pay-station hardware, with staff estimating net positive revenue compared with current collections. The board directed staff to schedule outreach (public workshops and vendor demonstrations were suggested), to determine hourly rates and to return with any final validation or discount proposals.

The board approved the ParkMobile implementation, the pay-station procurement and the Park Loyalty citation lifecycle services by roll call vote. The board set a target to begin the program the week before Memorial Day and said it will conduct public education ahead of launch.