The Huntington Parking Board, in association with local business owners, is offering free parking during the holidays annually to encourage local shopping.

“It is something that we have done every year since I have been there,” said Mike Wilson, executive director of the Parking Board. “We try to work with downtown partners and the Chamber of Commerce to determine what is the most beneficial to them.”

The Parking Board chose dates to compete with larger stores and the mall.

“The first thing you hear, is ‘well, I can go to Wal-Mart, or the mall, and parking is free,’” Wilson said. “We can’t do it all the time, but we do give them some days to assist.”

Wilson said the dates of free parking offered are different every year to match what will be most beneficial to local business sales and specials.

“It is based on the needs of the business, mostly,” Wilson said. “We just try to assist them and stimulate shopping downtown for some of the small businesses.”

Wilson said the Downtown Parking Association decides when free parking will be offered, and some businesses are helped more than others.

“Obviously, it helps some more than others,” Wilson said. “The Downtown Parking Association is a group made up of business owners, and then my board. Almost all of them are business owners and it is really helpful to them, the ones who push and request it, so it is obviously helping them and certainly not hurting them.”

Karen Shook, owner of Crumpets and Tea and member of the Huntington Parking Board, said this is an opportunity for her business and ones like it to bring in customers.

“This is something we work together on to try to get parking for everybody of Huntington so they can come downtown and enjoy all of the things that are offered here,” Shook said.

Some citizens are concerned that only certain places in Huntington will offer free parking on the specified dates.

Deborah Bennett, Huntington resident and volunteer with Messages of Hope, said when Messages of Hope was doing its annual suicide prevention walk, she and some friends chose to park in Pullman Square.

“We noticed a security officer ticketing cars on a Saturday,” Bennett said. “This had never been an issue before. He explained that Pullman was private property and they did not offer free parking, ever, even if the city did.”

Bennett said she thinks Pullman Square should offer free parking when the city does to promote shopping.

“If not, then why shop there?” Bennett said. “There are plenty of other small businesses downtown to give our money to.”

Wilson said Pullman Square will not be participating in the free parking dates this year, as they are not part of a government organization.

“It (Pullman Square) is only a for-profit business, and this is something that I am sure that they would love to do, but they have to make a certain amount because they have to pay their bills,” Wilson said.

Wilson said Huntington is able to offer free parking because it is not a for-profit business.

“With government, we have a little more leeway, we just need to break even, but they actually have to make a profit,” Wilson said. “We always work with them, but it is a different entity.”

Huntington will offer free parking on the following dates: Nov. 27-29, Dec. 5-6, Dec. 12-13, Dec. 19-20 and Dec. 24-25.

Emily Rice can be contacted at [email protected].