Hello - it’s Andrew here, but most of today’s post is going to come from a guest writer on a topic I know him (and, likely, many of you) to be passionate about. I’m just here for the news roundup and then we’ll turn things over to Darrin Rigo for a recap of his Twitter bracket aimed at crowning Prince George’s worst parking lot. Here we go:

• The Prince George Citizen has posted a roundup of restaurants that received warnings after health inspections, with issues ranging from pests to improper food storage. I used to wonder how it was that restaurants could stay open after repeated violations but I have a better sense of how difficult it is to actually for health authorities to do anything about private businesses violating public health guidelines, now.

• Local writer/professor Sarah de Leeuw’s poetry collection Lot has been selected by CBC Books as one of the best of the year.

• A Prince George screenwriter, Amber Alexander, has had her work picked up by Renee Zellweger and Apple TV+ for a new series.

• Former Prince George city councillor Jillian Merrick is the new co-owner of the Wells Hotel.

• Your Christmas mailing deadlines are fast approaching.

• If you have a check enginge light on, the College of New Caledonia may be able to help.

Ok, that’s it for me — on to the main event.

What is the worst parking lot in Prince George?

By: Darrin Rigo

What up, fellow Kurjat-ers. Long time reader, first time writer Darrin Rigo here.

Last week was a historic occasion for Prince George parking lots as our community came together to decide the worst parking lot in this car-ridden city. Today, we’re going to go over the 8 contenders to understand how they ended up in this bracket but first, I wanted to begin by answering the question — why did we do this?

Well, in all fairness, I saw CBC Vancouver Municipal Affairs reporter Justin McElroy seeking to answer this same question on behalf of Vancouver and seeing his contenders, I thought to myself:

“PG has comparable, IF NOT WORSE parking lots and gosh darn it, we deserve to know, too.”

But really, there is a whole “misery loves company” community inside this bracket that was really lovely for me. The comments of shared struggle and triumph over these terrible lots really made me appreciate the people who call this place home. I’m grateful to have a place to share these gripes.

Lastly, I can’t help but hope that maybe our bracket might be a tiny place where solutions begin to form. Who knows who watches these silly Twitter polls? Maybe there’s just a small chance one of these parking lots gets a closer look. Maybe we can be a force for good…

Anyways, we’re going to be working our way through each lot from least-worst to most-worst, based on votes received. Let’s go!

#8: Princess Auto / Tim Hortons

Receiving only 3.9 per cent of the vote in its fight against (spoilers) the eventual champion, it’s hard to know how it might have stacked against another contender.

My guess is that A) this is a pretty infrequent stop for your average PG folk and B) it’s true terrible nature mostly rises when the Tim Hortons drive thru flows into the entrance and exits.

Regardless, it can still provide a harrowing experience on the right Sunday afternoon.

Category: A Dance With the Drive-Thru

Eliminated by: 15th and Central Starbucks

#7: River Point

My first question is how many of you knew this area was even called River Point? Again, its 32. per cent win (or loss?) over Spruceland might be a function of how bad Spruceland REALLY is. River Point, much like some of our other contenders, is plagued by the parking minimums of retail plazas and, in particular, a crazy smattering of awkwardly placed strip malls and restaurants, and drive thrus.

My personal gripe is that all of the turns are way too tight, the curbs are way too high, and there’s just not margin for error in this Ford F-250 jungle.

Category: Strip Mall Bonanza

Eliminated by: Spruceland Shopping Centre

#6: Canadian Tire / Home Depot

An absolute juggernaut of a parking lot whose complexity is amplified by the presence of shopping carts or lumber carts, as well as a pickup/drop off area that gives even the most experienced driver heartburn - I can say I’m shocked this lot combo didn’t go the distance.

No matter which way you approach this lot, it’s just a nightmare. Some of the other contenders have clever ways in and around — this one is just a guaranteed gong-show.

Category: Too Big To Succeed

Eliminated by: Parkwood Place

#5: Ave Maria

My guess is that whoever designed this lot/building ratio was a near relative of the person who designed Ospika Pet. Where do you start? This lot isn’t wide enough for even a VW Golf to safely back in and out, let alone the Dodge Ram Super Diesel 500s that show up. It is clearly a one way without any markings telling you which way.

The only way to “safely” enter or exit a parking spot is to literally drive on the sidewalk. It exits and enters onto one of the busiest arteries this side of town. It’s madness.

Category: Too Small Too Furious

Eliminated by: Ospika Pet

#4: Parkwood Place

A PG classic parking lot where you can feel the “they did their best” vibes given how many strip malls, restaurants, and grocery stores are crammed into this little block. Parking space minimums created this monstrosity of WAY TOO TIGHT lanes and sardine tight parking spots.

Oh, did I mention that in the winter, they actually pile the snow right in the lot? And not in a corner, in some of the prime spaces of London Drugs and the nearby medical clinic.

Category: Too Big To Succeed

Eliminated by: 15th and Central Starbucks

#3: Spruceland Shopping Centre

Cracking the top 3, I think it’s fair to say that any of these 3 could have been the winner.

Spruceland is everything you could ask for in a nightmare parking lot. Its main event is the lane that runs the length of the shopping center with 15 access points joining from the parking lot, and no clear direction for pedestrians who are stepping out from shops left, right and center.

Surrounded by bus stops, busy streets, and confusing intersections – I’m not sure how the heck this parking lot ever got a stamp of approval and I’m even more baffled there aren’t more accidents reported here.

Category: Strip Mall Bonanza

Eliminated by: Ospika Pet

#2: Ospika Pet

A favourite to win the whole bracket, this is a real amuse-bouche of parking lot faux pas (pardon my French). I can’t speak to the pressures of the folks who designed this lot, but I can tell you that it is absolutely bananas to both try to enter and exit in 2023 and I literally said “how the **** is this real?” the first time I tried to access it.

Luckily, you’re only at the mercy of this lot if you’re a prospective or current pet owner. I believe its saving grace in this bracket was that it was competing with the largest coffee chain in North America.

Category: Too Small Too Furious

Eliminated by: 15th and Central Starbucks

#1: 15th and Central Starbucks

Category: A Dance With the Drive-Thru

What is the opposite of a Cinderella story? When a contender enters a bracket and it is so absolutely certainly going to do well? Is there a term for that?

My conclusion of this whole bracket is that a parking lot is both a function of its terrible design AND how well it can handle being busy. If you look back on this list, you will see parking lots that are different levels of terrible at each of these metrics.

This parking lot is the worst of both, on steroids while intoxicated at 2 am at The Generator while calling its ex. It’s mayhem and chaos.

What’s worse is that it only needs three cars for the whole damn system to fall apart. Three cars at one of the busiest intersections, at one of the busiest coffee shops, beside a McDonalds and a bank can cause an entire system malfunction.

Folks, your winner and ultimately, your loser – 15th and Central Starbucks.

Vote results:

Round one:

Too Thin Too Furious

Ospika Pet: 61.7%

Ave Maria: 38.3%

Votes cast: 180

Strip Mall Bonanza

Spruceland: 67.8%

River Point: 32.2%

Votes cast: 177

A Dance With the Drive-Thru

15th and Central Starbucks: 96.1%

Princess Auto/Tim Hortons: 3.9%

Votes cast: 181

Too Big To Succeed

Canadian Tire/Home Depot: 30.2%

Parkwood Place: 69.8%

Votes cast: 192

Semi finals:

15th and Central Starbucks: 80.5%

Parkwood Place: 19.5%

Votes Cast: 190

Ospika Pet: 58.8%

Spruceland: 41.2%

Votes Cast: 182

Third place matchup:

Spruceland: 59.3%

Parkwood Place: 40.7%

Votes cast: 118

FinalOspika Pet: 36%

15th and Central Starbucks: 64%

Votes cast: 264

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