Shoppers in State College who park downtown and don't feed the meter may get a pleasant surprise instead of a parking ticket.

In an effort to increase commuters' awareness and use of State College's parking facilities, the borough has initiated a program to selectively provide an hour of free parking in either of the borough's two garages if the meter has run out of time.

"We want to give shoppers in the downtown a friendly message to get them into the garages," said Ed Holmes, borough parking manager, adding that those who receive the borough's free parking coupon may become aware of places to park downtown.

The borough will occasionally place fliers instead of tickets on parked cars with expired meters. The coupons will be valid for an hour's free parking in either the Pugh Street or Fraser Street parking garages.

The backs of the coupons include directions to and hours for each garage.

The coupons will be only an occasional substitute for parking tickets, Holmes said.

"We're not going to do it all the time -- we may not do it all day, and we may not do it at the same time every day," Holmes said. "I may hand out about 100 of them (to parking enforcement officers) one day and say, 'Go to it 'til they're gone.' "

Parking enforcement officers will try not to give the coupons to those drivers who they know acquired many parking tickets, he said.

"People who get tickets on a regular basis abuse the system," Holmes said. "We will not give the coupons to people who abuse the system if the officers can identify people as (repeat) offenders."

Officials also hope the program will change the borough's image as a ticketing monger.

"This is also a public relations gimmick," Holmes admitted. "We are not a well-liked organization in the downtown. When people think of parking enforcement, they think nasty thoughts of a horde of enforcement officers watching the meters."

The coupons may change such thoughts, he added.

"Some shoppers may get waylaid at a store and are a couple minutes late. We don't know how late they are, and they won't expect to get free parking," Holmes said.

Downtown business owners and managers gave mixed reviews to the plan.

Norm Brown, manager of the Student Book Store, 330 E. College Ave., said the plan is a step in the right direction, but more must be done to curb the bad feelings between parking enforcement and downtown businesses.

"It's not a cure-all, but it is the first time ever that the borough has shown any compassion. We need to lighten the image of parking in the downtown," said Brown, whose term as Downtown Business Association chairman ended this week.

Meg Rose, manager of United Federal Bank, 122 E. College Ave., called the program informative and helpful.

"It will help relations between the parking authority, the public and the downtown businesses," said Rose, the association's chairwoman, who replaced Brown this week.

Brown said businesses complain that parking enforcement officers curb their businesses because of the ticketing and suggested that the association should have more say about when the coupons are used.

"We are at their mercy when the coupons are used," Brown said. "Maybe we need to have more input as to when they are used, not just when Ed Holmes feels like it."

Another way to inform people about the availability of parking in the Fraser Street and Pugh Street parking garages and the McAllister Street metered parking deck is by posting bigger signs or banners giving directions to the garages, he added.

"There are small signs now, but you really have to be looking for them," Brown said. "And with people popping out in front of you on the street, it's hard to do."