Parking in downtown Winnipeg -- is being put under a microscope by a number of different groups, for a number of reasons.

With parking in various parts of downtown at a premium, unpopular rules, such as the 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ban, being put to the test and the number of parking spaces increasing for the first time in years, many say now is the perfect time to take a comprehensive overview of the whole situation, pulling the different pieces together.

"It never hurts to revisit your plans, putting a new up-to-date plan in place," says Coun. Amaro Silva, who voted with his city centre community committee to remove the 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. parking ban along a stretch of King Street. It is now before the new public works committee.

"For too long we've designed downtown for what's good for transit and traffic flow, and forgotten about the commercial element."

As more business returns to part of the downtown area, parking is harder to come by, says Wayne Copet, Exchange District BIZ executive director. An unscientific survey yesterday morning revealed few metered parking spaces and full parking lots, especially east of Main St.

"But it's kind of a relative thing," Copet said. "It seems in Winnipeg the prevailing culture is if you can't park really, really close, there's no parking."

But he's encouraged by moves like the initial approval of removing the afternoon parking ban on at least a couple of blocks. "'Without question, it's one less thing people have to worry about when they come down here."

He adds that theory has already proven by the removal of the ban along Corydon Avenue.

As an example of the related, but separate, parking issues being talked about at the same time, the city auditor has just released a report recommending expanding the existing parking authority to have responsibility over all aspects of Winnipeg parking, including meters, parkades and enforcement.

With parking on Portage Avenue being discussed at tomorrow's council meeting, and all the ideas about revitalizing downtown, auditor Gail Stephens said this is the perfect time to be looking at the city's parking strategy.

"It's vital to all the other decisions occuring downtown," she said.

There are also calls for an in-depth parking study, looking at present and future demands. And CentrePlan, charged with revitalizing downtown, hopes to have its parking committee up and running by January.

Ross Adamson, streets and transportation department manager of traffic engineering, said there are already plans to start talking about the feasibility of a parking authority, independent of the auditor's report.

"It has merit, in principle," he said yesterday. "But there are more than a few bugs, issues to be dealt with. Whether or not it comes to pass, remains to be seen."

Bud Halkewycz, director of civic buildings, which manages the three civic-owned parkades, said he feels that as the availibility of parking downtown decreases, rates at private lots are likely to go up. The city itself will revisit the rates it charges next spring.

And Halkewycz envisions less parking lots in downtown Winnipeg in the next decade. He predicts that as the economy gets stronger, lot owners will decide to put buildings over parking stalls.

That's why he thinks it's time fora major parking survey.

"A study would identify what is the total demand and balance it against policy for transit and land use," he said.