The main point of my letter was that, on a recent visit to Bendigo, I observed that the CBD was packed with shoppers, businesses appeared to be flourishing and there were few empty shops.

And parking is free on weekends. Yes, online sales have impacted on small businesses, but the City of Ballarat's policy of cranking up parking fees is not helping small businesses flourish it is expediting their demise.

Our commercial rates are also a third higher than those of Bendigo. Can anyone explain satisfactorily why this is the case?

Yes, the Art Gallery of Ballarat (of which I am a member) should be proud of its excellent scholarly exhibitions and its fabulous permanent collection.

My point was that visitors were pouring through the doors of the Bendigo Art Gallery when I was there. And they didn't have to truncate their visits by fleeing back to their expired meters.

I have enjoyed several outstanding performances by students of the arts academy, and have employed several of its young students. I am no longer able to do so.

If I am to keep the doors of my little shop open, I have to work long hours myself and employ a shoestring staff.

David Miller and Edward Coleridge are to be commended for defending our city's assets and successes. Ballarat is a marvellous city.

But in order to flourish, we should not only celebrate how good we are, but focus on how great we can become.

MICHELLE COXALL