Free city parking plan Author: By ANTONY FIELD Date: 20/06/2006 Publication: Illawarra Mercury
WOLLONGONG'S Lord Mayor wants free parking in the city centre, even if it means compensating companies which operate paid parking stations.
Alex Darling said the CBD was on the "crest of a wave" with proposed shopping centre developments, but it was vital the city have free parking.
"The salvation of the CBD is in free parking," Councillor Darling said.
He said Wollongong was the only coastal city centre shopping area which charged for parking between Sydney and the Victorian border.
Cr Darling said he knew Wollongong residents objected to paying for parking because he had conducted his own independent surveys.
An Illawarra Regional Information Survey survey of 3000 ratepayers in March, found more than one-third of respondents said their least favourite aspect of Crown St Mall was the lack of parking, or lack of free parking.
Cr Darling said he would request a council report on the issue and encourage commercial parking operators to introduce free parking.
"It's worked successfully at Miranda Fair for 15 years - we're not trying to reinvent the wheel."
He suggested the council and retailers could compensate parking operators for loss of income.
Wollongong Central manager Quentin Dennis said Cr Darling's idea was interesting but there were large costs associated with parking, including management, maintenance and security.
Mr Dennis said if parking was free there was nothing to stop non-shoppers from parking there and retailers would have to bear some of the costs. He urged the council to construct more multi-level parking buildings on council land.
Ward 2 councillor Val Zanotto also wanted more parking and said the council should not decide about free parking until the release of CBD access and movement studies.
He said the council was considering a new multi-level car park in Stewart St and his proposal for parking beneath Lang Park.
West End Traders convenor Peter Nyers supported free parking, but said it was one of many improvements needed to attract shoppers, such as better traffic and public transport access.