More space needed for town parking
Land around the fringes of Morrinsville’s CBD could be considered as potential space to relieve the town’s parking woes.
Matamata-Piako business leaders recently met with Matamata-Piako District Council’s chief executive Don McLeod and mayor Jan Barnes to discuss the district’s parking problems.
It was a particular concern in Morrinsville and Matamata, especially where those who worked in the towns used car parks which should be available to shoppers and visitors.
Enforcing time limits and ticketing was suggested at the meeting as options.
But Morrinsville Chamber of Commerce was already trying another approach.
Chief executive Cathy Belvert, who attended the meeting with McLeod and Barnes, agreed that workers using car parks in the middle of town was an ongoing problem.
‘‘What we have been doing is providing a letter or a notice, on chamber letterhead, to businesses. If they see a repeat, problem parker outside their shops, this is a notice they can slip on to the window of the car.’’
The notice asked the owner of the car to look for parking elsewhere.
‘‘That seems to work. We don’t really want to go to ticketing but I do understand the problems in Matamata. We have similar issues in Morrinsville.’’
Belvert said she understood the council was looking at land it owned at the rear of the Morrinsville Events Centre for parking.
‘‘I think we need to give the council some time to come up with some solutions. We’ve only just had the meeting to discuss the problem.
‘‘If that matter doesn’t improve in six months time, we’ll look at bringing up the issue again.’’
Chamber president Nigel McWilliam agreed, parking was still a big issue in town. He hoped the council would open up the land it had purchased by the event centre ‘‘for this purpose ASAP’’.
Matamata Business Association had sent a letter to busi- nesses in the the town’s CBD asking to be part of a survey to gage support for timed parking limits and ticketing.
Mayor Jan Barnes said she would rather educate business owners and employees before enforcing ticketing, which would become an added cost to the ratepayer.
‘‘Is this working with business owners, asking them to designate staff parking areas?
‘‘I just implore people and different groups, just think before you park. Is this impacting on another business? I would like us to work together - we don’t wish to start enforcing. I think we can work together.’’
Matamata-Piako District Council said parking in Morrinsville was one of many projects it would consider as part of its long term plan consultation in May and June next year
It said the land behind the events centre was earmarked as ‘‘potential future parking’’ when it was purchased but it was too early to say whether it was likely to be included in the long term plan.