Columbia SC gets unique parking meters you should pay even if you aren’t using them. Here’s why

Patrick McCreless
·1 min read
7

Paying for parking in parts of Columbia this month may one day help save lives.

The city of Columbia parking services has partnered with the local chapter of the American Heart Association to raise money and bring awareness of heart health through its second annual campaign involving parking meters, a city press release states.

The April initiative involves enlisting sponsors for the specialty painting of certain parking meters in Columbia’s three downtown districts: Five Points, Main Street and The Vista. During the month of April, funds collected by each specially painted meter will be donated to the American Heart Association.

This year the program has acquired 15 sponsors to paint their own painted meter including:

  • Pull – A – Parts Auto Parts

  • Hospitality America – Hilton Columbia Center & Hampton Inn of Columbia

  • Garvin Design Group

  • Columbia Marriott

  • Five Points Association

  • All Good Books – 5 Points

  • Taneyhill’s Group Therapy

  • CB 18 / Breakers Live

  • Miss Cocky Boutique

  • Coal Power Filmworks

  • Shvass Spa Main St.

  • Aloft Columbia Downtown

  • Congaree Vista Guild

  • Koger Center for the Arts

  • Cool Care Heating Air, Plumbing & Refrigeration

An image of one of the specially-painted parking meters scattered around Columbia in April.
An image of one of the specially-painted parking meters scattered around Columbia in April.

Pull-A-Part Auto Parts, All Good Books – 5 Points, Taneyhill’s Group Therapy, CB 18 / Breakers Live, and the Five Points Association’s meters are located throughout Five Points. The Hospitality America – Hilton Columbia Center & Hampton Inn of Columbia, Garvin Design Group, Coal Power Filmworks, Congaree Vista Guild, and Aloft Columbia Downtown’s meters are located throughout the Vista. The Columbia Marriott, Miss Cocky, Koger Center for the Arts, Shvass Spa Main St. and Cool Care Heating Air, Plumbing & Refrigeration’s meters are located throughout the Main Street District.

Each sponsor will also have American Heart Association change receptacles at their place of business to accept change from residents.