Wyndham council will look to find a long-term solution for parents and carers of Warringa Park school that addresses their parking needs.
For many years, guardians and teachers at the school have used the carpark at Woodville Park shopping centre at no cost.
Earlier this year the shopping centre notified the school that it would no longer support free parking and would begin charging a fee.
Wyndham council received a petition signed by more than 200 residents requesting help to keep up with parking demands.
Councillor Mia Shaw said it would be an appalling outcome if struggling families were made to pay for parking to get their children safely into school.
“It is quite frankly unacceptable that parents and carers of children with mobility issues and special needs are left trying to secure on street car parking at a distance from the school,” she said.
A report to council’s meeting on Tuesday, March 22, said council officers conducted site inspections and raised the matter with Woodville shopping centre body corporate.
As the car park is privately owned, the shopping centre has no obligation to heed requests made by council.
However, a representative for Woodville advised that it was willing to enter a short-term lease agreement that would allow the school to use up to 50 parking spaces.
This would be a temporary solution as Woodville is currently finalising a submission to subdivide the parking space, the report said.
Council said it would approach the state government to purchase nearby land to assist with parking requirements.
Other proposals include installing parking bays alongside Willmott Drive, developing a footpath to make it easier for families to walk to school, and providing a safer crossing point along the path.
Cr Shaw said council would look at how it could improve the situation, but certain elements were out of its control.
“It is the state government’s responsibility to provide school parking and they need to come to the party and buy the land to enable a long-term parking solution for a school that really needs it.”
