Chamber of Commerce says parking congestion is the ‘number one issue’ in Childers ahead of Council meeting

Big changes are on the cards for one popular regional Bundaberg town where parking congestion continues to be an ongoing problem and claims people could ‘leave their cars for a week’ in the CBD.

The Childers Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Childers Showground on Wednesday, April 5 was touted as the “biggest ever” by organisers with 35 people attending.

The need for timed parking in Childers was one of several major problems in Childers flagged by the town’s business leaders ahead of a meeting to discuss solutions to parking congestion with Bundaberg Council in May.

Participants at the Childers Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Childers Showground on Wednesday said an inability to find a park in the Childers CBD is the most common issue raised with the Chamber of Commerce executive by businesses and the general community.

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“It’s the number one thing that the small business community talk about the most, and the community as a whole – we have an ageing population – as well,” CCC president Margaret Smith said.

While a car park with 62 spaces was built on Crescent St by the Bundaberg Regional Council in 2015, parking congestion remains a problem for the shopping and business precinct around Churchill St.

The Childers Chamber of Commerce executive including president Margaret Smith (right) and secretary Wayne Heidrich are developing a proposal for timed parking in Childers.

“You’ve only got to drive down the main street now and you see that car parks are full on both sides of the street,” CCC secretary Wayne Heidrich said.

“You can park all day and all night, just leave it there a week if you want to.”

Feedback provided to the Childers Chamber of Commerce is that businesses are parking their staff cars in spaces in front of rival businesses.

“The Chamber is constantly being approached by other businesses saying ‘can you do something about such and such staff are parking in front of my place?’ or ‘this opposition business is putting his brand new car in front of my business’,” Mr Heidrich said.

The Childers Chamber of Commerce executive is developing a proposal for two-hour parking limits, with designated times for parking in front of medical centres and chemists.

The executive will take the proposal to a meeting with Council on May 15.

Division 2 Councillor Bill Trevor said it was “disappointing” that more business were not using the existing Crescent St Council car park for staff parking.

Mr Trevor said it was “disappointing” that more businesses were not using the existing Crescent St Council car park for staff parking.

“One of the biggest disappointments over the last few years has been the lack of co-operation in the business sector as to parking on Crescent St,” Mr Trevor said.

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“A lot of businesses seem to think it’s funny not the park their three staff cars in front of their businesses, but to move them up the street and park them in front of others.”

“If we had that co-operation that would solve half the problem, and then obviously timed parking is another issue going forward.”

The meeting was touted as the “biggest ever” by organisers with 35 people including Division 2 Councillor Bill Trevor attending.

Originally published as Chamber of Commerce says parking congestion is the ‘number one issue’ in Childers ahead of Council meeting