As it gets harder to find a car park in Ballarat's CBD, it's been revealed there may be hundreds of spaces in a prime location sitting empty every day.
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Workers at the controversial GovHub on Armstrong Street North claim a 210-space basement car park has barely been used since the building opened in 2021, with only about eight to 10 cars parked there most days.
The workers claim they are not permitted to use the car park, despite onsite parking being "promised" to them when the building was first proposed.
They claim they have had no explanation as to why the car park is a "no go" for staff, with the message from management that it is simply "not available".
With the recent closure of a 280-space public car park on Creswick Road, they say they and their fellow workers are running out of options.
They say the "complete waste of space" means they are increasingly using on-street parking that would otherwise serve nearby retail and hospitality businesses as well as facilities like the Ballarat And District Aboriginal Co-operative's medical clinic.
"At least 200 cars should be under the building, instead of occupying parks in the street," one worker said.
"It's impacting local businesses, because we know people just won't go in [to shops] if they can't get a park out the front.
"It doesn't help any employers in that area."
Another said the lack of parking was a major factor making it "more attractive to work from home".
They said most staff in their department worked in the office at most 2.5 days a week, and the only people who went in five days were those who lived close enough to walk to work.
They believed the $50 million building - which can accommodate 1000 people - was about 50 per cent full most days.
"I probably would come in [to the office] more if there was better parking," they said.
"And I'm sure other people don't come in because of the parking - because it's just too hard.
"There's been days I've driven in, then turned around and gone home rather than waste that time trying to find a park."
The workers also raised a number of ongoing safety issues affecting the office spaces, including windows that "keep popping out" of their fittings.
They blamed the building's problems on "bad planning" that gave "no thought to the staff that work there" or how they would get to and from work.
"It's a shame because it was such a great opportunity, but it's been completely ballsed-up," one worker said.
"It was well-intentioned as this grand building, but the reality is very different.
"A lot of people feel they're forced to be there."
Sporting Globe Bar and Grill owner Anne Alexander previously told The Courier parking was an issue affecting Ballarat's business confidence.
Ms Alexander believed a new multi-level car park was the only realistic option for the CBD as there was not "a big enough space anywhere to make an impact".
A state government Transport and Planning Department spokesperson would not confirm how or by whom the basement car park was being used, but said the department was "reviewing car space options" at the GovHub.
They said the state government's Regional Car Park Fund and the Smarter Parking Plan (CBD Parking Action Plan) would "create more free car parking for Ballarat locals".
