Christchurch motorists will soon have to pay to park their cars at the Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park.
The 620 previously free parking spots were originally due to switch to paid parking this week.
But residents have been given a three-week reprieve, the Christchurch City Council confirming the change would now go live from Monday, November 18.
The $284,000 project was delayed to give the public more time to become familiar with new meters and to ensure all requirements were operating correctly before ticket enforcement began, it said.
Thirty-one parking meter stations have been installed in four areas, the horticultural centre and cricket oval car parks, and the two Botanic Gardens car parks off Riccarton Ave and Armagh St.
Four more meters may be added once parking patterns have been established.
City councillors voted in June to introduce the new parking regime in an effort to crack down on central city workers who often park all day in the spaces.
General manager of citizens and community, Andrew Rutledge, said the only reason council allowed car parks in Hagley Park was to support recreation.
"We do get a lot of frustration, particularly in school holidays, when people are trying to take their kids to the Botanic Gardens and the car parks are already full."
He insists the charges were still lower than on-street parking, to support recreational park users.
Parking at the Gardens and Hagley Park will cost motorists $2 for the first hour, and $1.30 for each additional hour, up to a maximum of $4.60 for three hours.
And it's not just a change for the working week - the fees would apply seven days a week across the four car parks from 8am to 5pm.
The city council estimated the paid parking changes would generate around $2.1 million in annual revenue.
- By Geoff Sloan, made with the support of NZ On Air
