Council Public Forum Dec 13th - Paid Parking in BBay by Trish Hellier Good Morning Mayor Innes, Councillors, General Manager, Staff, Gallery, those people comfortably live streaming from home and my Mum watching over me from above.
My name is Patricia Hellier from North Batemans Bay and I have come here today to speak on item no. MR 16/005 Paid Parking in Batemans Bay.
I fully support the Mayor’s motion for the removal of paid parking in Clyde and Perry Street Batemans Bay.
As you may be aware I live in Batemans Bay and I am very familiar with this area, I could not count the amount of times I have watched people, especially visitors to the area searching for change and looking for a change booth. I have frequently been asked the questions “where can I get change” or “have you got any change” and most show concern about leaving their vehicles in search of change and I have been asked on many occasions “what are the parking inspectors like around this town” particularly near the Perry Street meters as I walk through this area to collect my mail from our post office box most days.
Paid parking in my view is not the most attractive method of welcoming tourist to our area, and Batemans Bay is the only town in our region that has paid parking. Imagine a visitor crossing the bridge turning left in Clyde Street driving into the parking area and having to pay for parking as soon as they enter town. This could be one of the reasons why the Eurobodalla has the nick name Rob A Dollar Shire.
The paid parking in Clyde and Perry Street is a disincentive for many people to shop in that area. I agree there should be a 3 hour limit on the parking I have been told that there are those that have the view that if the paid parking is removed that staff from the various retail outlets will park in this area, realistically it is the responsibility of the shop proprietor to ensure that they instruct their staff not to park there.
Apparently there is varying view as to the income that is generated by the paid parking but I have to wonder at what expense it is to the business in the immediate area.
Previous to this Council, a Councillor moved for $50,000.00 to be given for a study on the Marina, it was adopted without any concerns to the council “budget” perhaps some thought should be given to rescind this motion to offset what appears to some, will be a “financial loss” in the Council’s budget should this motion be approved.
I would strongly recommend that you Councillor’s support this Mayoral minute as I believe it will improve the viability of business in the Batemans Bay CBD and a show of good faith to the community and the businesses by you this new group of Councillors.
Thank You. Patricia Hellier
