Free parking for Floriade visitors ABC News Online 1st August 2008
Andrew Barr says there will be free parking at Floriade this year. (ABC Riverina : Anne Delaney)
Close to 600 extra parking spaces will be available in Civic by the end of August.
The ACT Government has announced the Acton car park on Commonwealth Avenue near Lake Burley Griffin will be completed in time for Floriade.
Planning Minister Andrew Barr says it will become a paid parking facility after Floriade but it will be free for those attending the spring flower event.
"We'd always timed this particular work to be completed in time for Floriade as it is our premier tourism event," he said.
"But it was important that we were always able to continue with the tradition that free parking be made available to visitors of Floriade."
He says there will be special arrangements to ensure commuters do not fill up all the parking spots before Floriade opens.
"These 590 spaces that are reserved for Floriade, those car parks will open after 9:00am when Floriade opens so as to encourage the use of those spaces by visitors to Floriade," he said.
Floriade will run from September 13 to October 12 with the theme Films that shaped our nation.