City of Greater Bendigo believes an occupancy rate of more than 50 per cent for December at the new Edward Street carpark is a success.
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The multi-storey carpark was opened in July this year and operated at 21 per cent of capacity in its first month.
The figure had steadily increased in subsequent months but sits at 55 per cent in the busiest month of the year.
City mayor Lisa Ruffell said the carpark had met the council’s expectations during its first Christmas. “From the council’s point of view, it’s pretty good for this time of year and we believe that next year people will utilise it more,” she said.
Cr Ruffell said she believed the carpark would reach its projected usage of 70 per cent for the first year once more people were aware it was in use. “A lot of the time people forget that it’s there,” she said.
“Especially people from out of town don’t realize that there is more than just parks on the streets.”
She said the council would look for ways to better advertise the carpark next year.
“I think as a council we have to do more advertising and put up more signs on the main street to remind people it is there,” she said.
“But overall we are pretty happy with that statistic and I think we can accelerate its use with more signage.”