The following article was written by Jim Gainsford and originally published Wednesday June 7 2017 by The St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. The following text has been captured using computer software and may not be 100% accurate. You can download a high resolution scan of the original publication HERE.
CAR parks at Macmahon Street, Hurstville and Montgomery Street, Kogarah must be redeveloped as multi-storey facilities as a priority, St George Business Chamber says. "When the new council starts it should be high on their agenda;' Chamber president Allan Zreik said. "This should be made their number one priority:' "The need is for centralised parking, not the current isolated pockets of parking scattered throughout the Hurstville CBD. "Centralised parking would give future employers and big companies the incentive and certainty to base themselves in Hurstville:' Mr Zreik said the 150-space Georges River Council carpark at Macmahon Street, Queens Road and Park Road, Hurstville would be ideal as a multi-storey car park of three to four levels. The 82-space Treacy Street car park could also be redeveloped as a multi-storey car park for commuters. And the TAFE car park on the corner of Montgomery and Kensington Streets, Kogarah could be redeveloped for increased parking. "It is wrong that Hurstville has no multi-storey car park;' Mr Zreik said. "Such a car park would encourage employers with big departments to open offices in Hurstville. It would encourage diners to visit restaurants in the Hurstville CBD. "We have been speaking to the former • Hurstville Council for years about more car parking. "We have had a lot of feedback from businesses that it is a priority. We have spoken to State and Federal politicians to get their support. Now we need the new council to come on-board:' Chamber treasurer Carlos Zeidan said the next step is to persuade Georges River Council to engage a consultant. "We would like to see about 500 spaces or even more, but the first issue is that the council needs to engage a consultant to look at how many spaces we can get in this area with the current planning and zoning controls;' he said. Mr Zreik said there should be 1000 plus car spaces. "The more we get the better it is for the area;' he said. Federal member for Banks David Coleman recently announced $2.5 million in federal funding towards building a new multi-storey car park for commuters and shoppers at Beverly Hills and sees the need for a similar facility at Hurstville and Kogarah. "I strongly support the Chamber's call for council to take decisive action on this issue;' Mr Coleman said. "The lack of parking in Hurstville is one of the biggest issues in our community. Literally hundreds of people have raised this issue with me in recent times;' he said. "Kogarah also has substantial problems with parking:'