THE City of Greater Bendigo council’s new car parking strategy is continuing to attract criticism. The issue has drawn a large response to the Weekly by letter and on our website. Some of those comments are printed here. Something to say?: email:letters@bendigoweekly.com.au via www.bendigoweekly.com.au or by letter to Bendigo Weekly, PO Box 324, Bendigo, 3552
In response to your survey we are totally opposed to the intention of council to introduce 90 degree parking bays in Mollison Street. I should also advise that local residents were not favoured by any consultation from council of their intentions to alter the current parking bays, nor have we been favoured with a reply from council to my email of December 11, 2007. Although our address is in Mundy Street, access to our home and other dwellings is from Fothergill Lane which runs off Mollison Street. Rex Hackwill Mundy Street, Bendigo
I Was very pleased to see the Weekly pick up the issue in relation to the City of Greater Bendigo council’s new car parking strategy. I would love to meet the brains trust behind this strategy to gain a couple of car parks around Bendigo. I ride my bike to work most days of the week and travel along Hargreaves Street, coming in from Bendigo East. The ride is a pleasant one until I cross Baxter Street from which I take my life in my own hands, until I get to Chapel Street. I have had to take to riding nearly in the middle of the road to ensure that I see cars pulling out in the morning and evening. The ride home is worse as most of the parking bays are full and being just after 5pm cars are pulling out frequently. Before the change I was able to see the tail lights of the cars that are pulling out and be able to look at the driver to ensure that they have seen me. Now my concern is that it is all going to be too late and drivers will have to pull out blind until they get to a view of what is coming from their passenger window. It is only time until there is an accident and I only hope that I or other cyclists wont be involved as bicycles and cars don’t mix in accidents. Bendigo council talk about attempting to make the town more bike friendly, however I am thinking that I will have to start looking into alternative routes to get to work, which could see me riding on McCrae Street in the busy morning traffic. I have done some travel of the world in my time and I have never seen parking like this. I would invite council members to ride with me after work along Hargreaves Street between Chapel Street and Baxter Street to see how safe they feel. In response to this week’s poll question, It is a definite no! Sam Cook, Bendigo
Dear sir,
The playground in Hargreaves Mall must not be destroyed until there is a replacement ready for immediate use nearby -t here are few enough play areas for our kids and grandkids to play in as it is . Before you pull something down you should know what you are going to replace it with. And why pay "playground consultants" [?] to come up with ideas, instead of going to the nearest school and asking the professionals (aka teachers and mums) what kids really need? By the way, what do we pay our rates for?
