Car park agreement angers local residents
Fri 14 March 2008
Belinda Gear, Journalism
Eumundi residents are fuming after Maroochy Council allegedly broke a car parking land agreement.
Attendees at Eumundi’s ‘Meet the candidates’ public forum in February were angry council had allegedly broken their agreement when it sold car parking land to a privately-owned multinational company that is now profiting from the Eumundi area through the $4 parking fee.
The company purchased the land after council put the car park out to tender in 2007.
A Maroochy Council media release said council purchased the land in 2005 to preserve off-street parking for the markets and charged a $4 fee on market days.
Previous Division Six Councillor Greg Fahey said the introduction of the $4 fee was a multi-faceted initiative to assist Eumundi with its ongoing parking crisis by calming traffic in the area and increasing pedestrian and visitor safety.
He said the agreement regarding the car parking land was negotiated with Eumundi residents, businesses, market stallholders and the Chamber of Commerce.
The State Emergency Services and Sunshine Coast Rural Fire Brigades previously collected donations from drivers using the car park to fund their annual operating costs.
Mr Fahey said council’s decision would not disadvantage either of the two volunteer groups and he planned to increase the amount of funds they received.
Mr Fahey said paid car parking was not new in Eumundi and council would take care of operational aspects to make the running more transparent and accountable.
Eumundi residents said they were still waiting for council to deliver funds to the two volunteer groups and would like the tender to be reviewed.
Newly elected Division Nine Councillor Vivien Griffith said at the public forum if elected she would investigate council’s decision to sell the car parking land.
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