Free evening, weekend parking at City Hall starts Monday

Parking will be free on weekday evenings and all weekend at the City Hall underground parking garage downtown starting Monday, after a unanimousvote by city council Wednesday.

• Elgin Street shops rally to draw customers for 2019 road shutdown

• Elgin Street to close completely for overhaul

Elgin will beclosed in 2019 for underground infrastructure work, as well as new roads, sidewalks and other public installations.

However, some parts of the road are already closed as Bell Canada and Hydro Ottawa continue to do work throughout 2018. Some businesses on the busy strip have complained that the work is already affecting their customers.

The free parking will remainin effect until the work on Elgin Streetis complete.