Central Elgin and HONK Team Up to Bring Contactless Payments to Beachfront Parking

CENTRAL ELGIN, ON – June 23, 2020 – HONK, North America’s leading provider of safe, contactless payments for parking, and the Municipality of Central Elgin have partnered to bring safe, contactless payments to Port Stanley beachfront parking. To encourage the use of touch-free payments which can reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 this summer, Central Elgin has added HONK’s contactless payment technology at all 4 public beaches and boating areas. Drivers heading to their boats and Port Stanley beaches have two ways to pay: 1) Download the free HonkAPP from the AppStore or Google Play, or 2) Tap their phone on tap-to-pay smart stations for a quick guest checkout experience.

Safe parking is top-of-mind for drivers everywhere. With growing concerns around cash-handling and high-touch payment areas, many drivers no longer feel comfortable handling cash or touching pay stations. Residents and visitors to Port Stanley can now pay for parking directly from their phone. The new contactless payment options are available at all 4 public beaches in Port Stanley: Erie Rest Beach, Little Beach, Pumphouse Beach, and Main Beach. All parking revenue collected through beachfront parking pays for roughly 50% of the total cost of beach maintenance and beach rescue services.

The HonkAPP has a large and active user base in Southern Ontario – and is the City of London’s official mobile parking app, a short 40 minute drive from Port Stanley. With a presumed influx of domestic travel this summer, residents from Southern Ontario can use the trusted mobile app to pay for parking when they escape to Port Stanley beaches.

The tap-to-pay option is the safest and fastest payment option. With no app to download or paystation to touch, drivers simply – and safely – tap their smartphone on a HONK smart station with built-in near field communication (NFC) technology to pay for their parking session. There’s an option to receive text reminders when parking is set to expire, and the ability to add more time remotely. This much-loved feature is also available to users of the app.

“Partnering with HONK will make parking in Port Stanley quick, efficient and touch-free for visitors,” said Mayor Sally Martyn. “HONK’s contactless and cash-free payment options will help to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 this summer. It’s convenient, too.”

“We’re thrilled to bring contactless payments to Port Stanley beaches,” said Michael Back, HONK President and CEO. “People have been cooped up inside their homes for months and want to escape to nearby beach towns this July and August. It’s never been more important for beaches like Port Stanley to offer safe and easy contactless parking options for beachgoers. We’re proud to offer solutions to both app and non-app users.”