Hundreds expected to protest against paid parking at Henley Square on Sunday
Grange artist Andrew Baines says he expects a big turn out to the protest he has organised at 9am this Sunday in the Square.
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HUNDREDS of protesters are expected to march on Henley Square this weekend in the fight against paid parking.
Grange artist Andrew Baines said he expected up to 1000 people to turn up to the protest he has organised at 9am this Sunday in the Square.
He’s joined forces with the Henley Beach Surf Life Saving Club, whose outraged members will be protesting against the fact that they will have to pay to park while they protect local beaches this summer.
People will be chanting “our beach is not for sale” at the protest, which is also being supported by local businesspeople such as Cibo Henley Beach owner Maurice Dichiera.
It comes as Charles Sturt Council announced last week it would debate a “an alternative paid parking system” at its meeting next Monday.
The council has already raked in almost $12,000 in fees from the three parking meters it installed next to Joe’s Kiosk on the Esplanade and in the parking lot next to Evida on Seaview Rd since they were switched on on Monday, August 14.
Mr Baines said he was motivated to organise the protest in defence of the “basic human right to be able to spend a day at the beach without paying”.
“It’s one of our last public spaces left that isn’t being taxed and we need to save it,” Mr Baines said.
“You know you go into the city and all of the parks there you have to pay and there are a lot of people with no money and they can’t afford to come here and pay for the day.
“They will have to park a few hundred metres into the backstreets, from which they will then make a pilgrimage with all their beach paraphernalia.”
About 8000 people had signed an online petition opposing the paid parking meters.
“People having meals and parties in local eateries will have to make mass exits to cover their parking,” he said.
Henley Beach Surf Life Saving Club president Rae Lawson said the council should provide “two to three hours” free parking.
“We’ll be patrolling beaches from 9am to 6pm this summer, and our volunteers will have to pay to park here,” Ms Lawson said.
Fellow member Roy Menner said volunteer lifesavers were providing a “community service”.
“Now the council is charging us to park to provide that community service,” Mr Menner said.
Labor candidate for Colton, Angela Vaughan, said “this isn’t a popular move at all” and called on a two-hour free parking limit.
“My take is that I’d really like the council to take notice of what everyone is saying,” Ms Vaughan said.
A council spokeswoman said $11,964 had been collected in parking revenue since the machines were installed.
The spokeswoman also said the council spent $1422 repairing the parking meter closest to Joe’s Kiosk after vandals tampered with the card reader and “rendered it and the Tap n’ Go solution inoperable”.
The council also spent about $1300 building up an inventory of parts so the machines could be repaired quicker if future vandalism occurred.
Deputy Mayor Robert Randall said a report would be presented to councillors at Monday’s meeting “covering all of the scenarios”.
“It won’t be one particular recommendation but it will be a range of options for the councillors to debate, discuss and consider,” Cr Randall said.
“Hopefully we can find a solution – one would hope.”