On Monday, November 18, administration brought a Request for Decision before Mayor and Council at the Regular Council Meeting to implement a seasonal paid parking program to designated parking areas in the Drumheller Valley, with some changes to the pilot program administered in 2024.
The Paid Parking Program was approved with a few changes.
The Town of Drumheller implemented a paid parking trial phase from May 1 to October 31, 2024, utilizing Hotspot Parking technology. This program aimed to reasonably recoup some expenses from hosting hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. Hotspot Parking Technology offers flexible hourly parking fees, requires minimal infrastructure, and allows hassle-free exemption permits.
During the trial phase, the program generated a gross revenue of $118,696.02, resulting in net earnings of $72,654.42 after expenses. The success of the paid parking initiative has established it as a valuable revenue stream for the Town. By continuing to utilize this program, the Town can help alleviate potential financial burdens on taxpayers while promoting long-term fiscal sustainability.
Stakeholders, residents, and visitors were involved in providing feedback to ensure concerns were understood and considered when alternative recommendations regarding paid parking were presented.
Administration recommended the following, with Council’s support:
The Hotspot paid parking program should operate seasonally from May 1 to October 31 each year, while maintaining year-round availability for payment options.
Town facilities should offer physical parking permits as an additional payment choice for visitors.
Residents and out-of-town recreation members should be exempt from paid parking regulations.
Resident-only designations should be implemented on residential streets that experience overflow from areas with paid parking, with no exemptions granted on these streets.
Seasonal staff should be hired to manage the program effectively during peak tourism periods.
Include the former curling rink location as a paid parking lot.
Additional signage.
Wireless cell booster at low reception areas.
Leave downtown streets as unregulated.
Increase the hourly rate from $2.00 to $2.50.

The changes to the paid parking program will be implemented in 2025 and onward

On January 15, 2024, the Home Share Drumheller project officially launched in the Drumheller region (including Starland County).
The project is led by Community Futures Big Country, in partnership with Town of Drumheller, Travel Drumheller, and Drumheller & District Chamber of Commerce. Home Share Drumheller empowers residents to become part of a community-based solution to the local housing shortage.
As one local host, Virginia explains, “I feel like I’m being able to pay it forward to assist people beginning as well as continuing their careers, allowing them to gain valuable experience in their fields, and maintaining our economy.”
Community Futures Big Country secured grant funding from the Prairies Rural Opportunities Fund (ROF 2.0) to introduce Home Share Drumheller to the region. Working in partnership with Happipad and Canada HomeShare, an online platform was launched to facilitate the home sharing process. The platform vets both renters and hosts, provides background checks, prepares appropriate legal contracts, and works to ensure compatibility matching. Virginia, who has welcomed tenants into her home for decades is appreciative of the platform, “it makes the screening and contracts easy and removes the burden of the money talk and collection… it makes the process easy to navigate and makes home sharing successful.”
Home Share Drumheller offers a solution to homeowners with an extra room to rent, employers looking for staff accommodations, renters looking for a room, or seniors who would benefit from a helpful tenant. Funding is available to the first 50 homeowners who sign onto the home share platform and are matched with renters. Grant funding will continue to cover program fees through to March 31, 2026.
Alison Roppel, Project Coordinator with Home Share Drumheller is encouraged by what she is seeing, “We now have 33 hosts registered, along with 47 renters, and 12 completed rental contracts–the response from the community has been really positive and we’re ahead of our expectations.” Alison hopes that homeowners and their tenants will share their positive experiences and that awareness about the program will continue to grow. She adds, “I’m really impressed, homeowners are opening their doors and getting involved, it really speaks to the warmth and willingness of this community.”