LEWISTON – Some downtown parking garage customers could owe back payments on their parking passes, according to city officials.

Parking Coordinator Charles Walton said many Park Street garage monthly pass holders assumed that parking was free in the downtown garage during October and November of last year. The city was renovating the Centerville Garage and allowed customers with passes for that garage to use the Park Street garage.

“But we couldn’t get the Canal Street passes to work at Park Street,” Walton said. All of the city’s garages are automated and use electronic cards to let pass holders through.

The city’s solution was to leave gates up at Park Street garage, allowing drivers to come and go.

“As a result, we lost a lot of revenue from hourly parkers,” Walton said. “Other than driving through the garage and checking every plate, there really was nothing we could do about it.”

Many pass holders assumed that the city wouldn’t charge them for parking, either.

“They saw the gates up, and thought it must be free,” he said. “But they still got the service and we expect them to pay for it.”

Pass holders who live in the neighborhood of the garage pay $35 per month to use the garage. Nonresidents, including those who work downtown and use the garage during business hours, pay $48 per month.

Walton said he’s been calling monthly pass holders, reminding them to make their monthly payments, as well as any past due amounts.

“Unless they let us know that they were not using the garages, for whatever reason, we expect them to pay,” he said. “But they are pretty much on the honor system here. They’ve been using a service we provide, and most realize it’s worthwhile and they are willing to pay.”