Retailers irked after parking lot partially shut
Ryan Dunlop
Retailers and their customers are expecting to feel the pinch as a frequently used carpark is marked for partial closure in a bustling area of Auckland.
The free Auckland Transport (AT) carpark at 9 Waller St in Onehunga is being partially closed after an engineer’s report detailed a retaining wall which is about 50m long as being “hazardous” and in a “failed state”.
Recommended options to repair the wall range between $300,000 and $2 million.
Thirteen of the 60 parking bays in the carpark next to the wall will be closed.
George Hair and Beauty hairdresser Anastacia Stowers-Tommy said the loss of the car spaces was “not good for business”.
“It is sad we found out at the end of the day we aren’t able to let clients know.”
Customers mainly used the free parking as there was only 30-minute parking on Onehunga Mall road and a cut usually took between 45 minutes to an hour.
“This is the first time I have heard about it.”
Nearby store Hard to Find Books recommended customers use the carpark but it was almost always full.
Spokesman Brendon Harrison said the space was frequented by commuters parking their cars before catching the train to work.
“Customers complain they can’t find a car space. It’s a very busy area now.”
Look Sharp Store Onehunga manager Keshwh Nadin said he and other staff members used the free car spaces every day.
“All of our customers and staff use the carpark, but now a lot of people park there and take the train to work.
“It’s very hard to find a park, you have to circle around to find a space.”
A safety barrier was to be put in the affected area last night, AT chief engineer Andrew Scoggins said.
“This is a precaution after engineers raised some concerns about the state of the wall.
“We regret any inconvenience but safety is our first priority.
“If we have more heavy rain the wall could deteriorate even further.”
There was no concern for neighbouring properties because the carpark fronts on to an empty stretch of land, Scoggins said. The space used to be the site of a number of terraced houses but had been cleared recently for redevelopment.
A report by BECA said, “This wall is considered to be in a high-risk, failed state, and any further loading from a range of potential triggers could destabilise the wall further.
“Further movement will likely result in a catastrophic failure, which would be a safety risk to any people nearby.”
The engineers recommended that the best value for money would be a remediation solution incorporating a mesh and shotcrete skin, tied to a dead-man anchor at the top and anchored in the middle.
The cost of that would between $300,000 and $400,000, while a full rebuild of the wall could be in excess of $2m.
“We recommend that a full survey be undertaken . . .”