Parking lot prices pique Rogers Place patrons

Concert-goerswho drove into downtown Edmonton to see rapper Drake perform Wednesdayhit an unexpected speed bump in the parking lot.

Prices ran as high as$38 for the night atsome parking lots andparkadesin the city.

"This is ridiculous, I would never pay that anywhere," said Rowan Roberts, who drove from Calgary with his friends.

Roberts snagged an hourly parkingspot for$10, but thenhad to leave the venue at midnight to avoid a ticket once his meter ran out.

On Rogers Place event nights, street parking isn't free either. As of Sept. 1, the city started charging$3.50 per hour until 10 p.m. instead of the usual 6 p.m.

A city spokesperson recommendstaking public transit to avoid parking fees.

Mariam Jamalysaid shewould preferpublic transit, but since she lives in Westlock that isn't an option.Instead, she paid $21 for an overnight parking spot in view of the arena.

"It's super expensive," Jamaly said."A lot of things happen downtown and it should be easy for us to park our car and a lot cheaper for us to do things."

Online parking reservations are available through a booking site suggestedby Rogers Place, called Parking Panda. Prices there rangefrom $6 to $30 for a spot within onekilometreof the arena.