Business operators at the southern end of Marine Parade, Kingscliff are upset over a council proposal to put parking meters into the car parks along the Tweed Coast, including the one opposite their businesses south of the Cudgen Headland Surf Club.
“I know it’s not a foregone conclusion that it’s going to happen, but we just want to let the council know how we feel,” Josie Masterman of the Beach Shack said.
“I don’t think the council understands what impact the paid parking will have on local business. I know that a lot of small businesses are just getting back on their feet after the GFC, beach erosion, 2010 Brisbane floods and ever escalating utility bills. I believe this would be the last straw for some of us. I really don’t think that Kingscliff is consistently busy enough, to scare people away with paid parking.”
At its January meeting, the Tweed Shire Council considered an initial report into the feasibility of introducing a pay parking scheme across 17 car parks from Tweed Heads to Pottsville and inland to Tumbulgum, including Kennedy Drive Boat Ramp, Fingal Boat Ramp and Surf Club, Kingscliff Surf Club, Faulks Park and Boat Ramp, Salt Central Park, Cabarita Pandanus Parade and Norries Headland, Chinderah Boat Ramp, Cudgera Park at Hastings Point, Ambrose Park Pottsville and the old Fire Station, Bay Street, Tweed Heads.
The Kingscliff businesses are particularly concerned that, at this stage, only the southern carparks and not the area north of the Fig Tree is being considered.
“They are spending $600,000 upgrading the other end of Marine Parade and they want to meter us,” Willy Kluska of Pizza Capers said.
“If this end of Kingscliff wasn’t deadman’s alley before, it will be now.”
