“There’s not enough parking downtown.”

“It’s too expensive.”

“It’s such a hassle to get there.”

Surely you’ve heard the complaints. You’ve listened to the outcries. There’s no shortage of perspectives among Spokanites about downtown and its role in the local community. It’s either a pariah, to be avoided like the plague, or a panacea, the symbol of a cure-all to all of our city’s problems—namely, denser, walkable development.

Frankly, it’s understandable that the central, most important neighborhood in Spokane would arouse such strong emotions. After all, it’s the core of our city, defining our civic identity. But it’s also important to separate fact from fiction.

To gain some insight on the all-too-common parking complaint, I compiled a detailed map of every surface lot downtown. The result was staggering. Of the 1,250 acres in Spokane’s core, almost 300—roughly one quarter—were occupied by parking. And that doesn’t even account for garages, curbside parking, Riverfront Park, or the Spokane River, all of which would further inflate that figure.

What are the implications for our efforts to create a walkable, livable urban core when so much of it is occupied by the temporary storage of motor vehicles? What are the implications for our efforts to grow housing, retail, and public events?

I also looked into the claim that parking downtown is too expensive. Our top rate for metered parking of $1.20 per hour is less than the $2 per hour charged in Boise, Portland, and Salt Lake City. Even the maximum rate inside the nicest parking garage in the region, River Park Square, at $8, compares favorably to other cities of our size. Boise’s nicest garages, for example, charge a maximum of $12. And bear in mind that these are maximum rates—the most you should ever expect to pay.

What are the implications for the small businesses, the restaurants, the shops and event spaces that need our support downtown, when these myths are repeated and spread like fact? What are the the implications for visitors?

Sure, there might be a grain of truth to some complaints; downtown might not be the most convenient place in the city to drive or park a car. But should it be?

Downtown is meant to be the very center of urban life in Spokane. It’s meant to be experienced on foot, by sidewalk. It’s meant to be a place where you can serendipitously discover a new shop, a new restaurant, a cool alleyway, a narrow bridge over Spokane Falls, or a rooftop patio.

All things that can’t be done in a car.

So hop on Spokane Transit (and pay only $1.50 on one bus from almost anywhere in the city), ride a bike, or walk downtown and enjoy all that it has to offer. Or, if you must, carpool and pay a modest amount to park in one of the dozens of easy-to-access lots downtown.

And let’s celebrate our easy-to-access, positively beautiful and unique downtown.

Anthony Gill is a Spokane native and recent graduate of Santa Clara University. He is the founder of Spokane Rising, an urbanist blog focused on ways to make our city a better place to live.