Mark Elster can remember when the parking meters in Ballard charged 10-cents an hour and parking spaces were available on the street.

That was back in the late 1970s. Parking has changed dramatically since then.

In late 2005, the city of Seattle began installing 1,500 automated pay kiosks in downtown Ballard and at the Ballard Locks. The rates are $1.50 an hour with a two-hour limit.

While some business leaders say the stations have freed up parking for shoppers, opinion is mixed among community members.

Elster, who lives in Magnolia and comes to Ballard to shop and see movies at the Majestic Bay Theatre, said he hated the kiosks at first. After using the kiosks in other parts of town, he got used to them.

For Elster the meters are no longer an issue. The availability of parking is.

Elster said he could always find free parking on a couple of Ballard streets in the past. A year ago, he noticed how difficult it was becoming to find a place to leave his car in the evenings.

He "hunts" for 20 minutes to find parking.

"I'm in a parade line of other parking vultures. It's a dramatic change from what it used to be," said Elster.

Hairstylist Valerie Boyle hears about the parking situation from her clients at Supercuts. "We get a lot of complaints from customers. Everywhere they go, they have to pay for parking," said Boyle.

"I avoid them as much as I can," said Bob Kruse. Often times he will drive by Northwest 57th Street and if he's lucky, he will find a free two-hour space next to the Ballard Commons park.

Twice a week, Kruse does volunteer work at Swedish Medical Center's Ballard campus and takes advantage of their garage. "The hospital garage does not fill up and the rates are not bad," said Kruse.

Many employees in Ballard find free street parking and walk to their jobs. Boyle comes to work at 7:45 a.m. and parks three blocks away.

Parking is not a problem for Jackie Harris, an office coordinator at the Sunset Hill Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center in the 2400 block of Northwest Market. Harris takes bus from West Seattle to Ballard everyday to get her place of employment. The trip takes 90-minutes. She travels that far to work at the center because she loves animals.

The center has their own parking lot behind their building for staff and customers. They often have to call tow trucks because people not doing business there take up spaces, rather than parking on the street.

Jim Vatn uses the kiosks because he does not want to drive around in circles looking for parking.

"If I'm a merchant, I want free parking. The city wants revenue," he said.

One Ballard woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the kiosks free up parking spaces for shoppers.

"I think it is wonderful. You use the time and put the sticker on the kiosk so someone else can use the remaining time," she said.

Janet Rodgers likes to frequent local businesses and does not mind putting her money into the kiosks.

"I go to downtown Ballard three to four times a week. My goal is to support the Ballard businesses," she said.

Over at the Leif Erikson Lodge coffee shop, the regulars park in the garage.

"I don't have to use them (kiosks) thank goodness. Those parking meters are terribly complicated for older people like me," said Harold Nilson.

"Once in a while I park on the street. My son showed me how to use the meters. I don't know why they don't take dollar bills. The Mayor (Greg Nickels) is not doing things right. They're too expensive," said Vagn Jensen.

"It's getting tougher and tougher. I don't like to pay for parking. I park one block over and walk. I know where there are meters and no meters," said Brian Kleven.

Rene Vogt says he avoids parking meters and that parking is a problem everywhere in the city.

"Ballard keeps growing like it does, you cannot call it little Norway anymore. You'll call it big Norway," he said.

Many people interviewed said parking will get worse.

"It will get worse with the condominiums," said Nilsen.

Dean Wong may be reached at 783-1244 or deanw@robinsonnews.com