Bunbury business owners hand over their paid parking petition

Owner of local clothing store Sabotage, Megan Gianfrancesco, started the online petition on behalf of the Retail Co in Bunbury to fight for two hours free on-street parking in the CBD during the week.

As of Monday morning, the online petition had 1294 signatures and hundreds of comments pleading to push out paid parking completely to save the CBD.

“In 2011 the City of Bunbury Council installed Parking Meters in the CBD to combat a foreseen rising population and economy. Since this installation we have not seen either,” the online petition read.

“Instead we have seen over 90 stores close and a gradual decline in shoppers and visitors, less employment and financial ruin of many hard working families.

“We are faced with an ever changing world, downturn in the mining sector, online shopping, expanding outer shopping centres, which has all impacted on our city.  Many of these factors we cannot change, but we can change parking fees.”

The local business owners and members of Retail Co said they have been inundated with responses since going public with the petition just last week.

“The petition really cements our views, it’s not just about the retailers, it’s about the whole community so the petition gives those people a voice,” Ms Gianfrancesco said.

“We’re extremely happy with the response, I think it just shows that people are concerned about the parking and the future of Bunbury.

“Council is recommending one hour free but it’s not going to be enough – people have been saying if they do an hour it’s actually going to be worse because they will have to rush around.”

As well as the online petition, store owners also had physical copies of petitions in many of the shops around the CBD that customers could sign, which were also collected and presented to Mr Punch on Friday.

The pages were filled with more than 1000 signatures from locals and visitors all concerned about paid parking in Bunbury and its effect on the CBD’s local businesses.

“We need to say that Bunbury is back open for business,” Juliana Frisina from Mojo’s, said.

“We love it here, that’s why we’re so passionate about it.”

The Retail Co said the next step will be for council to employ a decent marketing strategy to say that Bunbury has free parking to entice people in and make the CBD vibrant again.

Mr Punch said it was important for the City of Bunbury to hear it’s residents views on the issue.

“Parking has been a really important issue for quite a long time and there hasn’t been a proper conversation about it until recently,” Mr Punch said.

“This whole process is about giving the opportunity for retailers here to table their views and have the conversation with the City of Bunbury which is the principal body responsible.

“I’ve originally been an advocate for one hour free parking in the CBD but the retailers I’ve spoken to have said to me quite clearly that they’d prefer two hours, or no paid parking at all and I think it’s important that retailers are able to express that view to the council.”

The petition will go to the City of Bunbury for councillors to consider on Tuesday, June 27.

The public is invited to attend the meeting from 5.30pm.