Neal Shannon Park on top of Bruce Bishop Car Park in Surfers Paradise closed by concrete cancer

Neal Shannon Park above the Bruce Bishop Car Park in Surfers Paradise is to be permanently closed as council continues work on repairing one of the city’s major assets.

NEAL Shannon Park above the Bruce Bishop Car Park in Surfers Paradise is to be permanently closed as council continues work on repairing one of the city’s major assets.

A council spokesperson said remedial works on the Bruce Bishop car park and the rooftop were continuing with the park off limits to the public.

Council on its website is advising residents and locals to the use the nearby Lionel Perry Park in Peninsular Drive.

Bruce Bishop car park’s 1640 spaces provide up to 40 per cent of carparking in inner Surfers Paradise.

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“Work currently underway includes the removal of soil, trees, turf, pavers, seating and other park assets and will continue for some weeks,” a council spokesperson said.

The next phase will involve strengthening work to five pad footings in the car park structure, which is expected to start around June.

“During the works a minimum of 900 car park spaces will be available. The car park rooftop area will remain closed to the public after the park is removed,” the spokesperson said.

The council maintains work being conducted in the car park precinct would not impact on the number of car spaces available.

Neal Shannon Park, located above Bruce Bishop Car Park. Picture: Jerad Williams.

“The due diligence process to sell the site is continuing and separate from the remedial works underway,” the spokesperson said.

Area councillor Gary Baildon said he had received no feedback from residents or traders about the works. He parked at the facility in recent days.

“It’s the weight of the soil on top that is being removed. I haven’t had a briefing on it. As far as I know the sale is going through,” he said.

The council sold the car park for $48 million to the Care Park and Far East Consortium in July 2018.

But legal action from the Save Surfers Paradise group to maintain the community asset stalled negotiations.

Bruce Bishop Car Park. Picture: Jerad Williams.

The State’s corruption watchdog has since cleared council of any wrong doing in the lead up to the sale.

The council had spent millions of dollars on repair work after the facility was found to have concrete cancer in its car park floors.