Park fees double at Albert Park Reserve sport precinct

SPORTS fans will be slugged twice as much to pay for parking in a state government cash grab at one of Melbourne’s most popular leisure precincts.

Amateur athletes and parents taking children to junior sport at Albert Park Reserve will be hit with a 100 per cent weekend parking fee rise from Monday.

SPORTS fans will be slugged twice as much to pay for parking in a state government cash grab at one of Melbourne’s most popular leisure precincts.

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Amateur athletes and parents taking children to junior sport at Albert Park Reserve will be hit with a 100 per cent weekend parking fee rise from Monday.

Weekend warriors parking at the precinct to play basketball, soccer, golf, athletics, touch football and more will see fees increased from $2.60 to $5.20 under the price hike.

Weekday parking rates will also rise from $2.60 to $5.20 after 5pm while the weekday hourly fee during business hours will surge from $3.50 to $5.20.

Port Phillip Junior Basketball administrator Rosemary Williamson feared the “absolutely appalling’’ increase could price people out of sport.

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Amateur athletes and parents taking children to junior sport at Albert Park Reserve will be hit with a 100 per cent weekend parking fee rise from Monday.

“We’ve got all these people wanting to play sport but they get hit in the hip pocket, not by their leagues, but by people trying to raise revenue from parking,’’ she said.

She said the fee surge would impact volunteers, referees and parents as well as players already paying to stay fit. “We’re all up in arms about it because there was no real community consultation,’’ she said.

Lakeside Golf president Wayne Carroll said the price hike, driven by Parks Victoria, was another blow to players already fighting plans to cut the Albert Park course in half.

“We’re absolutely against it,’’ he said.

The maximum all-day parking fee will rise from $10 to $12.50 and the cost of most sports club and tenant permits will also increase.

Parks Victoria chief operating officer Simon Talbot said parking fees were being increased “to maintain quality facilities’’.

“The net revenue generated from parking fees will be invested into Albert Park Reserve services, facilities and the annual sports and recreation club grant program,’’ he said.