CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/19/12 -- The Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) is launching MyParking, a free iPhone app designed to make parking in downtown Calgary faster and easier. The app includes features for the ParkPlus system and many of CPA's other services. It can be downloaded for free by searching "MyParking" in the App store or on iTunes.

"The MyParking app provides our customers with key parking information right at their fingertips," said General Manager Troy McLeod. "We encourage Calgarians to download the app for free to make their parking trip more convenient."

Top features of the app include:

--  Start and Stop a Parking Session: ParkPlus cell phone account customers
    can start and stop a parking session with the touch of a button through
    the app. Don't have a ParkPlus account? Create one from within the app.
--  Parking Availability: help locate a parking spot in Calgary before you
    plan your trip downtown. 
    --  Access the number of parking stalls available in CPA parkades in
        real time and view which streets are typically the busiest. 
    --  The estimated on-street availability feature uses historical data
        from the ParkPlus system to provide a general guideline of on-street
        parking availability. This information is also available on the CPA
        website at
        http://www.calgaryparking.com/web/guest/onstreetoccupancy. 
--  Find My Vehicle: mark your vehicle on a map, take a photo or write a
    note to help you find your vehicle after you've parked.

The app also provides a direct link to CPA's ParkAid service, comprehensive contact information and access to the latest updates from CPA's Twitter account @CalgaryParking.

"The City of Calgary's Customer Service & Communications team was pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside our colleagues at the Calgary Parking Authority," said Jacob George, Acting Director of Customer Service & Communication. "We believe this product is an excellent example of our organizations' ongoing commitment to providing new, convenient and citizen-centric services to Calgarians in the channel of their choice."

The CPA will be releasing the MyParking app on other platforms such as Android in future.

For more information on the MyParking app, including detailed instructions on how to use each feature, please visit www.calgaryparking.com/web/guest/myparkingapp.