There is no doubt that Wollongong council is guilty of a massive dereliction of duty in allowing our main sporting stadium and entertainment centres to be concentrated at the lower end of Crown street - without any attempt to provide parking.
The present meltdown may actually provide the key to unscrambling this unholy mess !
The " Gravity " proposal will not be built in the immediate future - and there is a doubt that it would be viable if the competing centre in Keira street ever eventually gets under way. That leaves the old Dwyer's site a vacant blot on the landscape.
Nobody is suggesting that parking to service Wollongong's needs should be free.
Now would be a good time for the council to be creative and provide an incentive for this to be turned into several levels of paid parking - with the space above zoned for luxury apartment living.
The incentive to attract developer interest should be a council offer to make this development rate free for a ninety nine year period.
That would be a huge attraction because rates cut deeply into the profits of any commercial venture - and that includes car parking. The same applies to choosing a dwelling in which to live - and it seems certain that freedom from future inflation increases would be a major attraction.
The opportunity to free the city of the blight of an entertainment district lacking parking is knocking on the door. It is just a matter of whether this city has the gumption and vision to seize that opportunity !
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