Boronia Mall multistorey carpark works causing concern for traders

THE $9 million construction of a multistorey carpark at Boronia Mall is causing “hell” for traders, with one raising safety fears after a man followed her to her car and another performed a lewd act in a stairwell.

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TRADERS say construction at Boronia’s multistorey car park is creating “parking hell”.

The $9 million redevelopment, which will include lifts and a travelator, has reduced parking availability for people who work at Boronia Mall and Dorset Square.

Jeanne Mastaing from Jeanne’s Hair Studio said traders were running the risk of fines by parking in a three-hour zone because their allocated all-day spaces on the roof quickly filled up.

Jeeanne Mastaing is one Boronia Mall traders fed up with problems while the centre’s multistorey carpark is being built. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Ms Mastaing said the top-floor parking also created a security issue.

She said she felt unsafe walking up there by herself at night past “dodgy” people, including one man that followed her to her car and another who performed a lewd act on the carpark stairs.

“It’s hell,” she said.

Ms Mastaing said the parking situation was the worst she had seen in the 21 years she had worked there.

Construction inside the multi level carpark of a new travelator (escalator for people and shopping trolleys) near the Coles supermarket at Dorset Square, Boronia.

Several traders told Knox Leader they had a system where they alerted each other if they saw council officers marking tyres.

Boronia Chicken on Flames owner Bruce Ung said he had copped three $79 parking tickets in the past month.

“It’s hard, sometimes you’re so busy you just don’t have time to go out and keep moving your car,” he said.

Mr Ung called for parking permits to be handed out to traders, or a moratorium on parking fines in the centre.

An artist's impression of what the carpark will look like when it's finished.

Coles spokeswoman Julia Balderstone said the carpark upgrades would finish in April, with the exception of the lift which would be installed in June.

She said the revamp would include a greater safety focus, with better lighting and CCTV cameras.

Boronia Mall manager Lawrence Peresso said a lot of people had complained to him about parking but he insisted the construction at the multistorey carpark was “going well”.

He said he was open to the idea of having permits for traders.

Knox Council has been contacted for comment.