The council's new parking scheme will mean members of the Senior Citizens Club can no longer afford to attend, the group's president has warned.
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Geoff Pitt, who has been president of the organisation since 2013, told The Courier that the council's Smarter Parking Plan would price out residents most in need of a meeting place.
He counts himself among those who will be forced to stay at home if the plans are not changed.
He makes the daily journey from Addington in his green Toyota Corolla and relies on a parking permit issued to members that allows them to park for free.
There were 17 permit-only red zone car parking spaces outside the building on Little Bridge Street, but the signs have now been removed and the permit is set to become defunct.
"There's no way known that I can pay it, which means I stop coming. The club gives me something to do, a reason to get out of a bed and to socialise. I am not married, so this is my family if you like."
- Geoff Pitt, president Ballarat Senior Citizens Centre
Aged 70, Mr Pitt does not have a disabled pass - which would allow him to park for free all day - so will now be subject to the same fees as other car users.
Mr Pitt estimates that he will be an extra $18 a day out of pocket as a result of the changes, which are due to begin next week.
"There's no way known that I can pay it, which means I stop coming," he told The Courier.
"The club gives me something to do, a reason to get out of a bed and to socialise. I am not married, so this is my family if you like."
Another club member affected is Mary Letcher, who celebrated her 80th birthday last week. Like Mr Pitt, she drives to the centre almost on a daily basis and does not have a disabled badge.
She is worried the new parking set-up will stop people having the subsidised lunches put on at the centre.
"If we didn't have this, a lot of the seniors would not be eating properly," she said. "They are not going to come here if they are going to get booked."
The bus excursions put on by the centre would also be at risk, she believes, as members also used permits in the main car park.
We are all seniors, we need to be able to park close to our venue
- Mary Letcher
The club, which has existed since 1960 and been based at its current location since the mid 1960s, currently has around 250 members and serves more than 5,000 lunches to its members each year.
In a written response, a City of Ballarat spokesperson said the changes had been "considered and discussed with the senior citizens club."
Council would add disabled five car spaces next to the club, the spokesperson added, while two hours' free parking would remain in place in the adjoining car park.
For Ms Letcher, however, it is not enough.
She said: "We are all seniors, we need to be able to park close to our venue. I am here every day, and you need to know that your car is safely parked where you're not going to get booked.
"I can't keep running out every hour and shifting the car at my age."
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