Clarity sought on free parking issue in Mayo county town
CLARITY is being sought on the position regarding 'free parking' or otherwise in Castlebar during the shopping days leading up to Christmas.
The issue caused a social media storm last year when complimentary parking was not in place compared to other towns.
The Castlebar Municipal District (MD) has allocated €13,500 from the general municipal allocation (GMA) to the local chamber of commerce for a Christmas event.
In approving the GMA, Councillor Donna Sheridan sought clarity as to whether this allocation was in lieu of free parking at Christmas.
Her colleague Councillor Ger Deere said he would not be happy that it would have to be in lieu of free parking charges.
There should not be a 'clause', he said, that you would get one or the other. He was representing the business people and also the customer.
Last year Councillor Deere had sought free parking in the town over the Christmas period.
MD head Iarla Moran said this year it was important they support the traders and money was set aside for a Christmas event.
To have free parking, they would need to budget for that now. If they didn't budget for it now it would not be there. The members would decide what the budget is and allocate it now.
If there is an allocation for free parking it would have to come from the GMA funds.
Councillor Al McDonnell pointed out that the council is losing €1.7 million a month due to the Covid crisis. He had seen an email to say their notice of motion monies may be suspended until September.
They had difficult times ahead and had to act responsibly and they had to look at things in a broader context.
Councillor Blackie Gavin was of the view that in the times we are in, we need free parking to get people back in to the town. “This town is open for business.”
Councillor Deere agreed that free parking was a 'gesture', and there was also the image it sent out.
Director of services John Condon said 'free' parking has to be paid for and the only way to do it was to cut expenditure in the €490,000 GMA allocation. No one had suggested what they would like to cut.
The purpose of the Christmas event was to bring more people to town and there was agreement among business people that the ice rink did lead to more business, where the free parking which previously existed did not.
The chamber would come before them again with a proposal for an event, which the members would sign off on. “You don't have to decide what you are doing with the €13,5000 today.”
The point was also made that some events may not go ahead this year and then those monies would be available to reallocate.