IVANHOE BUSINESSES TO BE IMPACTED BY PARKING CHANGES

Small businesses in Ivanhoe will be forced to close if proposed parking changes are brought in on the main street, according to a small business owner who presented a petition to Banyule City Council on behalf of Ivanhoe traders on Tuesday.

Joseph Giardina, owner-operator of Ricardo Ferro, collected 102 signatures from small business owners opposing the proposed changes on Upper Heidelberg Road, which he has submitted to council for consideration.

“The council will kill the shopping strip. I have no doubt lots of businesses will close,” Mr Giardina said.

The proposed changes included reducing 19 car parks, or about “one quarter” of all parks on the main street, from one hour to 15 minute parks.

“If customers are scared of getting a parking fine, they won’t shop here. 15 minute parking just doesn’t work,” Mr Giardina said.

He said his customers were “horrified” by the proposal.

Mr Giardina feared a similar drop in sales to the reductions in business felt in Ivanhoe in 2008 when morning clearway zones were extended by one hour

Banyule Council’s City Development Director Scott Walker said concerns were unfounded and the council had no intention of “restricting access” to the shopping strip.

Mr Walker said the proposed changes aimed to ensure the shopping strip remained “vibrant” and “active”.

“The principle of the plan is to manage parking in a fair and appropriate way to provide greater access to the activity centre,” Mr Walker said.

“The proposal is just a draft plan to enable the council to collect feedback from all key stakeholders.”

He said current parking was “not sufficient” to meet the needs of different types of users in the main street.

Mr Walker said the council would review all feedback received and make “adjustments” and “improvements” to the plan.