Wollongong City Council has kept its promise to transform abandoned CBD lots into temporary car parks, today lifting the boom gate on a new 45 space all-day car park at the old Oxford Tavern.

Council has been negotiating with the receivers of the Oxford Tavern site and this week signed the dotted line to turn the vacant space into a temporary car park until the land is sold for development.

The car park will cater for shoppers and workers during the week, at a cost of 30 cents per 30 minutes. Because the car park has been programmed to coincide with on-street paid parking times, the most you’ll pay to park all day is $4.80.

After hours the site will provide free parking for event goers and people heading into the city centre for dinner or late night shopping. The car park will also be free on weekends for shoppers and casual workers.

General Manager, David Farmer said he was pleased to see the new car park open before the busy Christmas period.

“The old Oxford site is in an ideal location for workers, shoppers and people attending events at the WIN Entertainment Centre or the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre,” Mr Farmer said.

“Council has also reached a deal to take over the former Dwyers site and provide 149 car parking spaces for the next two years.”

“The old Dwyers site is in pretty bad shape so it’s going to take us around two months to clear the land, install drainage, pavement, concrete, and line marking. Weather permitting this space will be available to the community by February 2011,” he said.

“The Dwyers car park will be a 10 hour car park Monday to Friday at a cost of 30 cents per 30 minutes. It will be free after 4.30pm and on weekends.”

“With Christmas on the way and the shops set to get very busy, I’d like to remind locals and retail workers about the availability of free parking on weekends and after hours at all of Council’s leased car parks,” David Farmer said.

“Council has six car parks in the CBD that are leased out to workers during the work day, and are free and available for the rest of the community after 4:30pm and on weekends. These are great locations for retail workers to park, leaving free prime on-street parking available for shoppers.”

Free parking after hours and on weekends:

George Street (50 spaces) - opposite Woolworths car park entrance, access via George Street.

Rawson Street (240 spaces)

Thomas Street (145 spaces)

Victoria Street (66 spaces)

Belmore Street (66 spaces)

Auburn Street (51 spaces)

Stewart Street East (this is a free four hour car park Mon- Fri and it’s free all day on weekends.)

On street parking in the CBD