Council to consider parking under park Author: DEWI COOKE and STEPHEN MOYNIHAN Date: 08/04/2006 Publication: The Age
AN UNDERGROUND car park near the MCG is being considered by Melbourne City Council to deal with congestion in the area.
The council has a long-held belief that car parking in Yarra Park at Jolimont during sports events should be reduced, but the issue has resurfaced with the unveiling of plans this week for a 20,000-seat stadium near Olympic Park.
Councillor Catherine Ng said it was time the Government, MCG Trust, council and public transport operators looked at accessibility to the MCG and Melbourne and Olympic parks.
"A feasibility study, exploring the costs and benefits of an underground car park under Yarra Park, could be an option," she said.
The proposed $190 million stadium will house Melbourne Victory, Melbourne Storm and the operational arm of AFL club Melbourne.
Cox Architects director Jonathan Gardiner said the stadium's design relied on people using public transport because only 330 car spaces will be created. "There's certainly an objective for more and more of the people who come to these venues to use public transport," he said.
Melbourne transport expert Professor Bill Russell said 45-year-old Richmond station was in need of an overhaul to cope with growing crowds.
He said the southern end of the station should be opened up for easier pedestrian access to Olympic Park, and that the station was not built to cater for large crowds with travellers often left exposed to bad weather.
Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust CEO Brian Morris said the thousands of people who used the area during the Commonwealth Games was proof that both the area and its transport system could handle an increase in capacity.