Parking meters in the Wollongong CBD could have been turned off for months under a plan floated by two city councillors.
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Councillors John Dorahy and Cameron Walters put forward a motion at Monday night's meeting suggesting parking meters be turned off from August 1 to January 1.
The idea was to assist in parking for the vaccination hub in the mall and also assist local businesses.
The motion also raised the idea of waiving outdoor dining fees for businesses, Cr Walters saying it was important the council showed "leadership" at this time.
Cr Dom Figliomeni was concerned about the hit to the bottom line from turning off the meters, while Cr Ann Martin said shoppers would take up the free spaces once the lockdown was lifted.
Cr Leigh Colacino saw the motion as a way to measure whether parking meters actually did have an effect on businesses in the CBD.
The motion was defeated, with an alternative that called for council to liaise with NSW Health on ways to support the vaccine hub and also investigate free parking in the MacCabe Park car park.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
