Footscray’s dual shortage of green spaces and car parking spaces have combined to create a headache for residents at the Joseph Road apartment precinct.
Since late last year, a vacant patch of grass that sits between the apartment towers and the Heavenly Queen Temple has become an unofficial car park, with an estimated 50 to 60 vehicles parked there 24-hours-a-day.
“It’s completely ruined all the grass that was there,” said local resident Darrel Pitt of the impact of the car parking on the area which is owned by nearby temple.
Mr Pitt, who is spokesperson for the Joseph Road Action Committee, said the grass was a designated green zone that was supposed to be left vacant.
“What was a very pretty area has now been wrecked by constant traffic and parking.”
A lack of green space is one of many problems at the Joseph Road apartment precinct, which was last year described as an “example of what not to do” when it comes to urban planning and building high density housing.
Many of the precinct’s problems, such as a lack of roads, footpaths and other essential infrastructure, are now being fixed, which, ironically, Mr Pitt attributed to causing the latest one.
“Recently because of council works people started parking down there,” he said.
Heavenly Queen Temple president William Tsang confirmed construction works at the Joseph Road precinct were responsible for the influx of cars parking on the grass, with the area opened for overflow parking after the temple’s sealed car park was filled to capacity.
However, Mr Tsang said with construction work almost complete, the grass patch would be closed to parking this week.
“We will put a barrier to stop people from parking on the lawn area,” he said.
Maribyrnong council chief executive Celia Haddock said council had received numerous complaints about the car park and had been working with the temple to resolve the issue.
“Council will continue to take necessary actions to ensure compliance with all permit conditions,” Ms Haddock said.
