Soil issues have been blamed for delays to a Ballarat CBD car park devised as an alternative to the closed Civic Hall car park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Creswick Road car park next to Officeworks will have 300 paid parking spots, for a fee of $6.50 per day.
While a statement from Mayor Samantha McIntosh in January said the car park was due to open mid-February, the City of Ballarat now says "no definite date has yet been confirmed".
City of Ballarat's director of infrastructure and environment Terry Demeo said it was scheduled to "open in the first part of 2019", with delays driven by unexpected soil problems.
"The construction delay has been due to the unforeseen unsuitable soil material identified when major excavation was undertaken to construct the paved surface," he said. "Construction activity is progressing with stabilised rock surface to be installed tomorrow and an anticipated final seal next week.
"The sealed surface will be fully line marked with lighting to provide for safe and convenient car parking for CBD commuters year-round."
The $600,000 car park was funded as part of a $2 million state government gift to council to create 1000 car parks, as compensation for the 275 car parks lost from the Civic Hall multi-storey, and provide space for 1000 workers at GovHub.
While the new five-storey building will include 220 underground car spots, most have been set aside for tenants, with City of Ballarat hopeful for an "element of public parking".
The Creswick Road car park has also been touted as a future option for Ballarat Library patrons, with few car parks remaining due to GovHub construction.