The city will soon get another CBD car park with the Warrnambool council revealing it was in the process of purchasing more land.
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The piece of land will cater for another 30 to 40 spaces to help accommodate demand for parking when the new library at the South West TAFE site is built.
Just where the site is located is being kept under wraps until the sale is finalised, but in the last council agenda land "behind Timor Street" was listed as under contract for purchase and future development as a car park.
"This transaction was considered at a confidential meeting of council and once the sale is finalised council will release details of the site location," the council said.
However it did say it was within an easy walking distance of the TAFE campus where the new library will be situated and it is expected it would free up parking in Kepler Street for library patrons.
Just how much the deal will cost is also subject to commercial-in-confidence, but the council says the price was based on independent valuations.
The council agenda also says land in Grace Avenue is also being explored for a "swap" to create extra parking
The number of car parks in the CBD is currently under review with a draft strategy soon to go before councillors before going out for further community feedback.
The study was expected to shine a light on whether the city had a significant car parking issue or a shortage of car parks in the CBD.
The impact of the free parking at the railway station and changes to Liebig Street would also form part of the review.
Last year, Warrnambool Ratepayers Association president Brian Kelson raised concerns about the parameters of the council's car parking strategy review as well as the impact of the new library on parking in the CBD.
He questioned whether it would take into account the extra people that were expected to visit the new city library at the TAFE site, or the 70 car parks needed for a proposed hotel opposite the RSL.
"When Gillies Street gets the treatment it's supposed to get when the hotel is built down the end, and I believe there was something like 70-odd car parks that it didn't have to provide for, that's going to make that a terrible, terrible place down there to park," Mr Kelson said.
The council said a decision on time limits in the new car park, and whether it would be free, had not yet been made but said it would include a number of disability car parks.
Council revenue from council fees and fines took a major hit this year due to the pandemic, putting a $975,000 hole in budgeted figures.
A portion of parking revenue is directed to the cost of creating new car parks.
Meanwhile, design work is continuing on a planned upgrade to Koroit Street. The council said only design works were funded at this stage but it would look to externally to help cover construction costs.
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