Old school oval just the ticket for parking

SENTINEL-TIMES COMMENT

NO ONE likes getting a parking ticket.

However, after the Bass Coast Shire Council introduces its Smart Parking sensors in Cowes and Wonthaggi next month, it’s more likely that locals, both shoppers and CBD workers, as well as visitors will get fined for exceeding the time limit.

What the introduction of so-called ‘Smart Parking’ will also do is highlight the lack of all-day parking, especially in Wonthaggi.

Solution: Open up the grounds of the old Wonthaggi Secondary College, now, to all-day parking.

It’s already been more than two years since the government opened the new $32.7 million Wonthaggi Secondary College senior campus, and a big ‘thank you’ for that, but it’s high time the future use of the old site was considered.

There’s a popular misconception that the school site has been gifted to the Bass Coast Shire Council, which it hasn’t. Instead, we understand that the shire will have to enter into a lease with the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning for access.

The shire, we understand, is also preparing a report to council “to outline opportunities” for the site, however, while the ultimate use of the centrally located land will take years to come to fruition, it should immediately be turned over to all-day parking in the interim.

Wonthaggi’s retail is getting strangled by a lack of parking and the loss of spaces for the introduction of pedestrian crossings, plus the impact of the Smart Parking sensors is only going to make matters worse.

The shire should immediately seek DELWP approval to establish a major new carpark on the old secondary college oval (off McKenzie Street) and open up other available areas on the school site for parking.

It would be a game-changer for Wonthaggi business, and it should happen now!