Guitar Hero

I had about a half-hour today to net some art for a story on the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority's proposal to expand parking meter enforcement hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.


Tony Massey, an employee of Varsity Barber Shop on East Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor, passes time by playing guitar while he waits for customers. He said customers frequently complain about the price of parking and extending meter enforcement hours would keep more people from coming downtown.


A visitor to downtown Ann Arbor uses one of the parking pay stations on Main Street. It took him about two minutes to get the machine to accept his payment. After unsuccessfully trying coins, he resorted to using a credit card. "It has a couple kinks, but it's practical," he said. "We lost a little time, but that's fine."


Customers of Conor O'Neill's Irish Pub enjoy drinks at the bar. C.W. Jensen, far left, was in town on business from Portland where he said downtown parking rates and meter enforcement hours were expanded about a year ago. "It just keeps people away from the city core, which shouldn't be happening," he said.