A proposal to convert a vacant block of land into a carpark, just 250m from Maylands train station, has been knocked back by the City of Bayswater council.
The motion, which was raised by deputy mayor Elli Petersen-Pik, proposed 17 parking bays to be added to an empty site at 45 Ninth Avenue.
The site is walking distance from the Whatley Crescent cafe strip and would have cost up to $65,000 to redevelop.
The vote was split 4-4 with councillors Assunta Meleca, Steven Ostaszewskyj, Josh Eveson and Michelle Sutherland voting against the motion at a council meeting last Tuesday night.
Mayor Filomena Piffaretti tried to use her casting vote, but the motion was lost as the primary vote of each officeholder could only be used to achieve an absolute majority.
Cr Petersen-Pik spoke at last Tuesday’s council meeting and described the motion as “one of the most important motions” adding he had “strong support” from the Maylands Ratepayers and Residents Association, Maylands Business Association and local businesses.
“Parking has been a major concern raised with me in Maylands over the years by almost everyone . . . I’ve been pushing for many years to advance and prioritise actions that will help make our suburbs, and in particular our town centre, more pedestrian and cycle-friendly and I will continue to do so,” he said.
“We will need to ensure that we can provide the right balance between all needs and that the town centre has an adequate number of parking bays to support those who live far . . . and those who simply are not physically able to walk for or ride.
“Until we have the right infrastructure in place to get a sufficient number of people to walk and ride to the town centre . . . we must ensure that we can provide enough parking bays.”
Cr Petersen-Pik added he was “deeply concerned that” privately-owned carparks, which were often full, could be redeveloped.
“If those private lots . . . are developed and we lose those parking bays, that will lead to a serious parking crisis which will definitely harm businesses and it could be a chain reaction: we might see more empty shops in addition to those that are already there (empty) in the town centre,” he said.
“I am deeply concerned about this possibility.”
But Cr Eveson said parking was already “abundant” within the Maylands Town Centre, adding he did not believe the site was large enough or in the right location.
“Parking isn’t an issue in the short or medium terms in Maylands,” he said.
“There’s many actions that have not been done or have been deemed not required . . . it’s really about line marking and signage to tell people where parking is available.
“I find it’s a very Perth thing that if you can’t park out the front, you don’t have enough parking . . . there’s plenty of parking abundant in the streets surrounding the town centre.”
Ms Piffaretti weighed in on the debate and said acquiring the site would be a “strategic purchase” for the Maylands town centre.
“Unlike some other people, I actually do believe that parking is necessary particularly to support businesses, I know that when I choose which businesses I frequent in any location, if there’s a lack of parking, sometimes I won’t go there because I need something easy and convenient to get to,” Ms Piffaretti said.
“I think that this is a good purchase.”
Earlier this year the City of Bayswater announced it had purchased a carpark site on Hamilton Street opposite Bayswater train station.