KITCHENER - Kitchener's downtown market has ended a free-parking perk, after failing to realize bigger dreams.

When the public market opened in 2004, weekday visitors were offered two hours of free parking in the garage. The perk was meant to help the market draw more visitors than it gets to more vendors than it has.

"When the market was put in place, they were thinking of having market days all week long," said Paul McCormick, Kitchener parking manager. "That hasn't come to fruition."

In December, city council voted to impose the standard fee it charges at other downtown garages - $3.20 for the first two hours. Parking fees began this month.

"It just seems super unnecessary," Maggie Laurin said. "Making things cost more isn't going to make people want to come out to things."

Laurin was startled to pay for parking Tuesday, attending the city's Kids' Hop program with her daughter. She'll stay out of the market garage from now on and asks, why not phase in the parking fee, and provide more notice?

"We were under a lot of pressure for some time to consider it. We've kind of held off," market manager Kim Feere said. "Times are changing. Things cost money."

Feere said the market will have to make sure that its programs are inviting enough to continue drawing visitors.

The city estimates that ending free weekday parking will generate $40,000 a year for taxpayers.

Visitors can still park for free for two hours at 58 curbside spaces near the market at King and Cedar streets. Food court vendors can provide one hour of free parking to customers. There's still free parking for busy Saturday morning markets.

City hall estimates it was giving away over 30,000 hours a year of free parking, valued at more than $80,000. Ending the perk won't grab all of this, because some will change their routines to avoid fees.

When the market opened a decade ago, council planned it to make a profit within five years, drawing visitors to permanent vendors operating all week long. Today it remains near-empty for many hours after its popular Saturday mornings. It consumed a $250,000 subsidy in 2014.

Feere said the market is "going in the right direction."