Whittlesea council has rejected a plea by more than 150 angry residents and road users for more parking in Orchard Road, Doreen.
A petition with 156 signatures of local residents and people representing Butterflies Childcare and Early Learning Centre, at 2-4 Orchard Road, was presented to the council last year.
The petitioners’ grievances were first aired at a council meeting on August 6. The council was asked to provide indented parking spots for the use of the childcare centre’s parents and staff because of a lack of on-street parking in Orchard Road.
Council documents say its officers conducted a “rigorous investigation” into the issue, including talks with the centre’s management.
Council planning permits require childcare centres to provide no fewer than 23 car spaces. The rules also stipulate that staff cars should not be parked on nearby roads.
The council officers noted that “childcare centre management and staff generally occupy 16 of the [23] internal spaces throughout the day and that tandem bays are often under-utilised”.
They also observed that six staff members parked their vehicles all day in front of residential properties in Coolong Terrace.
Centre director Rebecca Cantrill said: “We’ve fixed [the parking issue] for our staff and families, but the problem hasn’t been solved for local residents and commuters who use Orchard Road. The issues we’re experiencing are from Plenty Valley College parents. It definitely hasn’t been resolved.”
A parent whose children attend the childcare centre said she knew some parents had been fined for parking on the nature strip. “Rather than helping, they’re sending inspectors down to book people,” she said.
The council has concluded that the centre staff are now using their parking allocations “more effectively” so additional on-street parking is “no longer considered necessary”.
Mayor Mary Lalios said she was happy to discuss the issue with parents and the childcare centre management.
