Show parking sparks split

By Jim Mynard
CAR parking for the Berwick Show has caused a major split between the show committee and its major sponsor the City of Casey.
Fierce arguments developed on Saturday because the council restricted parking on traditional areas along High Street, Berwick.
Show occupational health and safety coordinator Warwick Glendenning said 200 parking spaces were lost and motorists were being booked in droves for illegal parking.
He said this led to a full car park in the showgrounds and queues at the front gate.
“People wanting to get in had to wait for someone to come out,” he said.
However, the council said the show committee did not comply with an agreement on how the car parking should be managed.
Tempers were running high, but Show Society president, Peter Wenn, and secretary, Mike Vallence, said there was a need for discussion with the council over the parking issue.
Casey mayor Colin Butler said serious discussion was needed on parking for the show.
Casey acting manager administration Jarrod Doake said the council and show committee developed and agreed to a traffic and parking management plan to be implemented over the Berwick Show weekend.
“Some conditions of the plan were not adhered to by the show organisers, including a failure to install temporary speed reduction signs along High Street and a lack of parking marshals coordinating the parking outside Akoonah Park,” he said.
“This resulted in some drivers parking in an unsafe manner.
“As a result, over the two days 120 vehicles received a parking infringement notice for safety reasons such as parking in nostanding zones, across driveways and facing the wrong direction.
“It should be noted that the council relaxed some of the regular parking controls in the area to facilitate the event and over the weekend no vehicle received a penalty notice for overstaying timerestricted areas.”
Cr Butler said he had preliminary talks with the show executive and both sides had agreed to talk through the issue.
“The thing is that everyone seemed happy in the grounds, the exhibitors were getting a great response, show bags were going in the thousands, sideshows were full on, and entries in many sections were up,” Cr Butler said.
“This is part of the reason for a shortage of car parks.
“We have more entertainment, more exhibitors, more things happening on the grounds and that means more people wanting to put their gear somewhere.”
Cr Butler said the council advised the committee of the new regulations on Tuesday, 30 January and received a letter from the show committee on Wednesday, 14 February saying the committee would endeavour to comply with the regulations.
“We need to find offsite parking, but I am sure we can find a resolution that will work,” he said.