With the drop of yet another iteration of CBD parking plan imminent, a group of Ballarat workers are hoping to sway how parking functions just south of Sturt Street.
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City of Ballarat have confirmed the final parking plan for the CBD will return to council chambers for consideration on February 20.
Councillor Belinda Coates tabled the hail mary petition from more than 100 workers who park near Dana Street, Eyre Street and Talbot Street South, at Wednesday night’s council meeting.
The petition from staff and visitors of the Ballarat Health Services Queen Elizabeth Centre was calling on council to engage in a meeting to discuss the difficult parking situation.
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In the original version of the parking plan, released in May last year, roads around the Queen Elizabeth Centre would have been $1 per hour parking, while nearby streets including Talbot Street South and Ascot Street South would have been 50 cents per hour.
This plan was taken back to the drawing board, and an update provided in December did not include streets around the centre in the creation of more paid parking.
Cr Coates said while it was good to hear from those staff members, it’s “not new information” that an issue exists in the vicinity of Dana Street.
“Possibly it’s been less publicised, but I don’t think it would be a surprise to anyone that it’s a hotspot for people that live or work near there,” she said.
“These issues are happening in lots of hotspots around the CBD and the health precincts.
Ballarat Health Services CEO Dale Fraser said he hoped the revised parking plan would take into consideration “the parking requirements of our staff, residents, clients, patients and their family members accessing our health services at all times of the day and night”.
“We have provided opportunities for our staff to share their stories and opinions about parking around our key sites at the Queen Elizabeth Centre and Base Hospital through the Council’s “Right to the Night” and “Smarter Parking Plan” consultations.”
City of Ballarat’s director of infrastructure and environment Terry Demeo said the feedback would be considered by council, with a formal response sent back to the petition’s creator. He did not confirm if a meeting would be scheduled before February 20.
“The City of Ballarat has received a petition centred around the parking in and around the Queen Elizabeth Centre on Dana Street. The signatories are a mix of predominantly QEC employees and QEC visitors,” he said.
“During the extensive eight-week consultation period for the Smarter Parking Plan, council officers attended the QEC and consulted with staff and visitors.”
