Some St. John's parking spots now pay-by-phone only

A section of 136 parking spaces on Harbour Drive in downtown St. John's have moved to cashless parking, now only accepting payment through a smartphone.

The change takes effect June 11.

The one-year pilot project is part of an overhaul to the city's downtown parking system.

The pay-by-app systemmeans no cash goes into the meters, in an attempt to decrease vandalism.

The City of St. John's said in March that damaged meters have cost about $1.4 million, both in lost revenue and repairs.

Drivers will now have to pay for parking in those Harbour Drive spots by using the pay-by-phone app on their smartphone.

The change is part of the city's 57 long- and short-term recommendations to improve the parking system.

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