Ever wondered what’s eating the shire’s parking? Take a eyes wide open drive around and check the number of permanently parked cars, boats, trailers and all those caravans that have finished or are waiting to begin the ‘Grey Nomad’ dream.
Add the permanent car sale yards adjacent to places like Jenola sports ground at Caringbah that chop the parking available to families wanting to use it for recreation.
Recent additions at Jenola are advertising trailers, complete with wheel locks in case anyone should try to move them on.
Nearby, there are about a dozen vehicles permanently parked adjacent to Woolooware Golf Club.
Port Hacking Road north of the Five Ways at Miranda is also a busy spot for advertising trailers. The removalist and box selling company vans that feature well on heavily trafficked roads also feature here, too.
Shire ratepayers are also hosting on its streets, for free, rental vehicle companies like Pop Car, which announces on its website that you can collect its cars at Cronulla, Woolooware, Caringbah and Sutherland.
Rival GoGet announces: "With almost 3000 cars in 5 cities, there’s probably one near you! Maybe on your street!"
They even park next to each other at Gunnamatta Park. Great tactic for cutting irritating business overheads.
Shopper parking is also being chomped by workers on development sites. Catch the Time to Move the Car Waltz at around 11am and 3pm when the 4-hour parking limit expires at the Croydon Street car park for people working on an adjoining site. The high-vis gear adds colour to the show.
Judging by their long-term anchoring, the local fleet of boat trailers seem pretty safe from the Sutherland Shire Council rule that they can only stay parked at one location for 28 days. But then they only have to be moved for - wait for it - one block.
At least there is a rule for boat trailers. The Council website seems mute on cars, trailers and caravans. OK, Council, over to you.
John Mulcair, Cronulla