The Town of Sylvan Lake made $72,802 in profits from the first year of its visitor pay parking program, money that council will consider using to repay start-up costs for the program as well as to direct more resources for downtown maintenance once 2018 budget deliberations come around.

Initially, the town projected that capital and operating costs for the program's first year would total $535,000.

After the project went out to tender, they came in at $203,633, expected to be repaid in under three years.

Coun. Jas Payne called the program a success.

"I'm ridiculously impressed," Payne said. "The payback time, how it went from over eight years to less than three, that's phenomenal."

Council will review the program at a future committee meeting. Increasing the number of pay stations and whether the town should fund the development of a mobile payment app will be up for discussion; as well as a software upgrade to ensure downtown parking is kept to three hours, eliminating the option for all-day parking, said community services director Ron Lebsack.

According to the staff report, commercial property owners that do not live in town wish to receive parking passes at no charge, saying that they pay taxes to the town.

Stats and trends

Busiest parking spots: Centennial Park lots, then Lakefront Park lot, then downtown on-street parking

There were 41,867 parking tickets sold, with average purchase costing $5.67.

Two thirds paid by credit card, remainder by coin.

Busiest months in order: July, August, June, September and May