The proposal aims to make currently metered parking free on Saturday but retain the time limits. On the surface, this seems to be an excellent partial solution to some of the issues regional cities suffer. 

Their populations grow but their beloved historic hearts are left desolated as shoppers migrate to the free parking Xanadus of the sprawling-fringe shopping centre. 

The precedent of American cities has shown that, unchecked, this doughnut effect can ruin cities and leave historic shopping strips checkered with vacancies and increasingly derelict. 

So any idea that brings shoppers but more importantly foot traffic to their traditional hearts is to be applauded.

However, before leaping onto this positive idea, certain things should be weighed up. After all, is anything ever really for free? 

Particularly in this case when the prospect of something being free does not actually change the amount of the commodity available.

As such, the examples set by nearby cities such as Bendigo should be carefully studied to balance out the relative drawbacks and costs.  

While there is sure to be some revenue loss from metering on a Saturday, this should not be the prime consideration. 

Perhaps more significant is the possibility that, without the onerous threat of the meter ticking, people will less respect the hour or two parking restrictions. 

The cost of metered parking may be relatively small in Ballarat but is it enough to encourage a ‘time is precious’ attitude and keep spaces turning over. 

The numbers of this turnover should be sought and analysed lest the ease and promise of free parking be taken for granted, reducing the turnover and potentially making it even harder to find a spot on a Saturday morning. 

In an ideal world, shoppers would whizz in an out of their favourite shops without a thought of restrictions, but unfortunately this is rarely the case. 

The expense of signs to press home the new regulations are one thing. 

The cost of greater enforcement and potentially even greater ill-will from infringement notices are another and may counteract the very positive attraction to the CBD the free parking hoped to generate.