Some Vancouver residents say they're disappointed by the city's plan to introduce pay parking at a popular beach in the West Side.

"I think it's absolutely shocking that they're doing this," said Bob Power, who frequents Spanish Banks Beach Park with his dog, Dickens. "It's overused, the word 'cash-grab,' but that's what it is."

Located in West Point Grey, Spanish Banks is currently the last beachfront in Vancouver with free parking.

But starting in April, those who want to park near the water will have to start paying $3.50 an hour or $13 a day. The charges will apply during peak season, between April and the end of September. A seasonal pass will also be available for $87.

The Vancouver Park Board decided to make that change last fall.

In an email statement to CTV News, the board called pay parking "a critical source of revenue" for the city that helps fund "basic park maintenance and necessary enhancements to…safety, security and cleanliness."

While the money might be used for improvements to the park, some say the parking fee means they'll stop going altogether.

"To me, that makes it inaccessible," said a woman at the beach. "It might not seem like a large amount, but if you're looking at habits and you're trying to use a facility often, that adds up and that takes it out of the range of what I would as opposed to something I would do, in that case."

Another dog owner said the new fees mean there are even fewer places he can go with his pet.

"This is a lovely park. I come in from downtown," he said. "There's not a whole lot of areas where (my dog) can run for so long. It seems like a bit of a tax that's not necessary, I guess."

Another woman suggested alternatives such a small daily fee for park users that would keep the area affordable.

"I think it should remain as is and make it accessible for families," she said. "I'm sure they could recoup their supposed losses by the way of property taxes."

The parking fees at Spanish Banks will be the same as peak season rates at other popular destinations as Kitsilano Beach, Queen Elizabeth Park and Stanley Park.

All of those places saw rate increases come into effect last year from $3.25 an hour to $3.50.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Maria Weisgarber