The Halifax Regional Municipality is offering some drivers a place to park their cars overnight because of the winter street parking ban.

Starting next week, 20 drivers can pay a monthly rate of $28.25 to park at the Bloomfield Centre on Agricola Street.

"We're going to rely on the centre staff to manage it," Mike Labrecque, the HRM's director of transportation and public works, told regional council Tuesday night.

Parking spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no security and drivers have to park at their own risk.

Transportation officials will evaluate the trial project at the end of the season and decide if it should continue.

If it works out, the project could be extended to parking lots at other municipal facilities, such as the Halifax Forum or the Centennial Pool.

The winter parking ban has left many people scrambling.

Drivers are prohibited from parking on roads around the HRM from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. The ban was imposed by the municipality's traffic authority to allow snowplows to clear roads without obstructions.

Since Dec. 15, 9,333 tickets have been issued. At $25 each, that works out to $233,325.

The parking ban is in effect until March 30.

For the previous three winters, drivers were barred from parking overnight only if a snowstorm hit.