Media Response |

The senior citizen's centre just phoned to say council's worked out an arrangement with them - can council confirm the details?

17 free carparks will be allocated to the Senior Citizens centre under a permit system with the spaces made available in the Little Bridge Street off street park. They will be available to members between 9am and 3.30pm and the permits will be limited to a specific vehicle registration and will not be transferable.

Representatives from hotels on Lydiard Street phoned before to say council's worked out an arrangement with them for 10 minute parks/loading zones - can council confirm the details?

The hotels on Lydiard Street will have a ten minute car parking loading zone out the front of their businesses.

Have any other community groups, volunteers, or small businesses that have been affected by the new plan come to council with concerns, and if so, will they be worked out as well?

The City of Ballarat have been in contact with community groups, volunteers and small businesses. It will hear their positions and respond accordingly.

Will there be more signage (or flags, or flashing lights) indicating where the parking meters are in the Eastwood Street car park?

Signage will be installed prior to the meters becoming active. There will be five car parking meters in the Eastwood Street car park and people will be able to see a meter from every direction they turn.

Will there be more coin-operated machines installed? The majority of letters are indicating a) there's not enough meters (and I know more are coming!), and b) there aren't enough that take coins - are there plans to put more in?

Coin machines are spread throughout the Smarter Parking network to provide for convenience to those motorists who wish to use coins. The advantage of the new coin meters is that you do not need to return to your vehicle after you have paid for your car parking, rather you just walk to the nearest coin meter in your preferred direction, register your vehicle and go about your business.

Why exactly were two different types of machines put in? Is just cheaper to not have to collect coins?

The Smarter Parking plan offers two different machines to cater for both credit card and coins. This offers more convenience and flexibility for motorists.

One of the suggestions from Friday was an educational resource that shopkeepers could use to help people having trouble for the first week or so - is that something council's considering?

The City of Ballarat has been proactive in providing extensive educational resources across the entire Ballarat community. It has sent a postcard to every Ballarat household and business, published articles in myBallarat magazine, and has executed extensive advertising campaigns across many different media platforms including television and the silver screen, radio, social media and print. The City of Ballarat has published lots of information through its weekly Mayor's message in the Ballarat Times newspaper, and has sent out many media releases on its own News website. It has also designed a Smarter Parking website, where there is comprehensive information including a link to FAQs, and has executed social media campaigns and videos, including a Facebook Live session which was watched by 4000 people. On top of this, City of Ballarat parking inspectors are wandering around the CBD wearing bright blue T-shirts that say, "how can I help you?". The parking meters and the app also have very clear instructions on how to park, and how to use the new Smarter Parking plan.

Why wasn't there more consultation done with businesses? A lot of the people I spoke to said the only communication they had was the flyer that everyone got in the post.

Smarter Parking is the biggest community consultation project the City of Ballarat has ever undertaken, and Commerce Ballarat and the City of Ballarat continue to speak to businesses in the CBD every week. Prior to the plan, there was community consultations done throughout the city that were advertised throughout many different platforms including radio, television and print. There was community consultations done with Commerce Ballarat and the Bridgemall Traders Association, and there was a Smarter Parking shop in Sturt Street for six weeks, where the community could come and have their say.

City of Ballarat representatives also based themselves at the Ballarat Health Services, ACU and the Bridge Mall, where they hosted more community consultation sessions. They also hosted a full day consultation workshop at Craig's Royal Hotel.

All businesses were welcome to participate in the consultation process, and many did accept this invitation.