Shoppers at a Clyde shopping centre are concerned about parking difficulties after construction works took up a row of parking spaces.
Construction works are going on for a new building at the corner of Berwick-Cranbourne Road and Morison Road, where the Shopping on Clyde and its car parks are located. It took up a row of parking spaces.
Across the road, another construction work is also ongoing behind the medical centre.
Cars can be seen circling in the car park and the nearby residential areas to look for a parking spot if you visit the shopping precinct during the peak hours.
Local Linda Dyer said she came down last Wednesday, and she couldn’t even get a parking space on the surrounding streets.
“In the end, I had to go elsewhere,” she said.
“Now, all of these people who are paying high rents are losing out on business because, like me, other people are having to go elsewhere to do their shopping.”
It has not been unusual, as Ms Dyer recalled that last year, at various times of the day, the carpark was always full. Fast forward to this year, the carpark is now reduced because of building works.
Marie, a regular at the shopping centre, said it was absolutely hard to find a parking space now.
“Even before that (the construction), there was not as much because the area is growing,” she said.
“It’s going to grow more because there are a lot of houses being built in the area.”
May, owner of One Stop Variety in Shopping on Clyde, said customer complaints about parking are not a lot, but she personally experienced it when she came to work in the morning.
She said the shop owners were informed that it was going to be a construction, but no consultation of any form was conducted.
Anthony Tassone, co-proprietor of TerryWhiteChemmart pharmacy Clyde in the centre, said they knew and understood there are currently challenges with car parking at Shopping on Clyde due to the construction works around.
“There has been the temporary closure of some car parks and an increased demand for existing car parks with workers and tradespeople attending the site,” he said.
“On weekends, there is car parking available at the medical centre next to Shopping on Clyde if customers are having difficulty finding a car park.
“The staff working in the centre are doing their best to ensure we all park in areas that are not within the main car park to maximise available parking for customers.
“All of the traders at Shopping on Clyde are very appreciative of the support and patience of our customers and expect the car parking to improve soon with the construction works of the aged care facility expected to be completed by November this year.”
Mr Tassone hoped that when the construction works are all completed (expected by May 2026) that the Shopping on Clyde precinct will offer more health and hospitality services for the community and be even more of a destination and attraction.
According to centre manager Ian Mitchell, the new building completes the centre’s precinct plans and is anticipated to open early next year.
“The building will include a gym, sports bar, juice kiosk and restaurant,” he said.
“The plans included professional services input on traffic flow and parking requirements, which were then endorsed by the Council.
“The new building requires the use of a row of current carparking for safety requirements. These car parks will be reopened upon completion, as well as additional spaces.”
Mr Mitchell said they are aware that it can be difficult to find a park at peak times and continue to address this.
“For example, as many as 30 per cent of the cars in the main car park were parked there all day (typically not customers). Therefore, we are encouraging these cars to park in other areas,” he said.
“We appreciate that it takes time for such adjustments, but have found that it is starting to work and anticipate that with further signage and monitoring, many more car parks will be available for customers both now and when the new building opens.”
Ms Dyer has also been worried that parking situations are only going to get worse once the new businesses are open.
“Gym members will want to park for about an hour, and tavern patrons will want to park for two to three hours,” she said.
“The only solution will be to construct a multi-storey carpark, but I doubt if it is on the drawing board at this time.”
