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Speedsters caught at 137km/h on high trauma roads
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Monday, November 25, 2024
Across the Arts
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Sport
WELCOME ADDITION WANGARATTA High School students Willow Norris and Mia Zachariou enjoy using the adventure playground which was developed through consultation conducted by and with students. PHOTO: Kurt Hickling ■ See story page 5
Parking pickle Free parking not off the table as new mayor talks options around replacement of meters
ONE of the upcoming jobs of the new seven-member council will be to assess a review into paid parking in Wangaratta’s CBD, with free parking not off the table, according to Mayor Irene Grant. She said the parking issue was a vexed one with commuters arguing that
BY STEVE KELLY
skelly@ nemedia.com.au
there’s never quite enough parking spaces or in the right location. However, she did confirm that free parking or the removal of parking meters
would be discussed as part of the review process. “Council will have to work through the process to make sure what is provided is in line with community need and expectation,” Cr Grant said. “We still need to talk about it and see what we as a council view as the best
way forward.” Council also has a stake in the co-store carpark which costs council an escalating amount each year, so in theory the removal of paid parking could be detrimental to all ratepayers as it would impact council revenue or could be recovered in other ways.
Council has reported that 55 per cent use the EasyPark App to pay for parking, leaving 45pc who still use cash, which is another sticking point in how the Rural City of Wangaratta replaces the now defunct machines. “I’m still paying with coins and there are that many
apps to use nowadays I find a parking app just adds to the stress I feel and I don’t need that,” Cr Grant said. “However, if we’re able to make the transition in a streamlined and straight forward way then it’s something that people in the community could get used to.” ■ Continued page 3
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