Dear Editor,
Does Greater Shepparton City Council really care about CBD businesses and those of us who advocate for and support them?
One of my earlier submissions suggested free timed parking to generate business. And since then we have had the introduction of phone/card parking meters and more recently the parking metering being outsourced to a private company involving redundancy of our local parking officers.
My concern today, Thursday 20th June, is with the flurry of construction works in the CBD (perhaps the money needs spending by 30th June). These works have impacted on all of us.
This morning I paid and parked behind my bank, GMCU, thinking that an hour would suffice. I am a very senior resident these days and just walking through and around these works is hazardous with all the activity, machinery and detours. And of course, north end of the mall, corner of Fryers and Maude Streets had to be reconnoitred to do my shopping.
Finishing at a shop near that site, to my horror, I heard the woman in front of me at the cash out told, “There she goes, slapping fines on cars along Fryers St at $80 a pop!” – Who was she, I thought, feeling uneasy about my parking back behind GMCU. I finished my transaction and hurried “safely” to my car 15 mins over time. Relieved to find no ticket and knowing how angry I would have been, I high-tailed it out of there to SPC car park to continue on my business.
How about giving us all “a fair go” please, councillors?
Yours Sincerely,
Patricia Moran
Shepparton, 51 years a ratepayer.
