Shock community poll: strong call for new station name, need for bigger car park

A councillor has hit out at plans for a new train station on the Gold Coast, saying it’s ‘500 car parks short’.

THE State Government is being told to rename the proposed Helensvale North railway station and call it Hope Island.

But there is an even more urgent challenge for Labor – councillors who will either have the station in their division or nearby are united on the heavy rail stop having a bigger car park.

Division 3 councillor Cameron Caldwell has taken aim at the Government aware Helensvale North, Merrimac and Pimpama stations at a cost of $120 million will not open until 2024.

Councillor Cameron Caldwell holding up a toy train at the Helensvale North railway station site.

The new train stations have been a source of controversy. AAP IMAGE/ Adam Yip

In a post on Facebook where he poses with a toy train, he told residents: “One hundred and seventy four car parks is not enough. It should be named Hope Island Station. When will it actually be built?”

Division 2 Councillor William Owen-Jones, aware of demand on the existing Helensvale Station, estimates another 500 car parks are needed on the site next to Mangrove Jack Park.

By comparison, Pimpama station off the Old Pacific Highway and Merrimac at Gooding Drive will have 200 park’n’rides each.

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“I think it’s 500 car parks short and should become a park’n’ride,” Cr Owen-Jones told the Bulletin about Helensvale North.

“I want to know why they haven’t looked at land under the railway bridge. I think they should also be calling it Hope Island Station.”

Parking at the Commonwealth Games near the proposed Helensvale North station site - posted on Councillor William Owen-Jones' Facebook page.

About 80 per cent of up to 1000 residents responding on a Facebook poll by Cr Owen-Jones agreed the station name should be changed.

“It’s physically in the northern edge of Helensvale but it’s the entrance to Hope Island,” he said.

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Two pop-up consultation events at the Hope Island Marketplace – from 4-8pm on October 24 and 10am-2pm on October 26 — will occur before consultation closing on November 8.

Meanwhile, the location of the new Merrimac station continues to divide councillors, the community and council candidates.

Councillor William Owen-Jones — we need a station name change and more parking. Photo: Jerad Williams.

Division 8 council candidate Joshua Smith agrees with Hinterland councillor Glenn Tozer that the station should be moved north to the industrial precinct off Elysium Road.

But rival Division 8 candidate Matthew Armstrong believes the Government has made the right choice.

“The businesses within 250m either direction from this proposed station will benefit greatly from foot traffic when it is completed,” he wrote on his Facebook page.