New $22.5m multi-level car park opens at Maroochydore

An eight-storey car park has opened at Maroochydore’s growing business district with the mayor revealing how much motorists, council and office workers will fork out to use it.

A Tesla ready to be charged, ribbon cutting and a line-up of cars marked the official opening of the Maroochydore CBD’s $22.5m multi-deck car park.

Mayor Mark Jamieson and Walker Corporation group executive development Peter Saba cut the ribbon on the eight-storey public car park at 4 Lightning Lane on Wednesday, December 13.

The new car park contains almost 300 parking spaces, including 39 motorcycle spaces, six accessible parking spaces for diverse mobility needs, as well as four EV charging stations.

After the first hour motorists will pay $2.50 per hour, with a capped daily rate of $6 until March 31, 2024.

The maximum daily rate will increase to $12.50 from April 1, 2024.

Similarly to the Mooloolaba central car park, Mr Jamieson believes the user pays approach is fair to cover the costs of providing the facility.

The new multi-level car park on Lightning Lane at Maroochydore.

“To provide these sorts of facilities, the user pays or if we were to levy it across all ratepayers that would put us in a position where we were charging people who didn’t have a car or may live in the hinterland area and don’t come to Maroochydore or Mooloolaba,” he said.

“I think it is best that it’s funded by those who use it most.”

Mayor Jamieson greeting the first driver to park their car at the new multi-level car park at Maroochydore.

Mr Jamieson added that there is a high demand for parking at the rapidly growing CBD.

“This is going to be a very busy area, a high number of business transactions are being done here, so having parking space available, even for the restaurants next door, will be vital,” he said.

“There will be more multi deck carparking built in the future.”

The public may have to compete with council staff for parking spaces, with a number of spots set aside for council employees working at the $100m First Ave city hall.

There are 800 employees at that building and 156 car parks.

There are four EV charging stations at the new multi-level car park at Maroochydore.

However, Mr Jamieson said council staff won’t escape paying a parking fare.

“We’ll certainly be encouraging our staff to use this facility, as we will everybody else, but my staff will be paying,” he said.

“We’ve got over 800 staff there, for those who have to bring a car, we’ve got a place to park for them.”