Threat to prosecute gate vandals

GREATER Dandenong Council is investigating possible vandalism that has forced the removal of a boom gate at its trouble-plagued number eight Balmoral car park.
In the meantime, the multi-storey car park has been effectively free – an outcome that cheered Springvale Asian Business Association spokesman Stan Chang.
“That’s exactly what we’ve been asking for,” he said.
Greater Dandenong city planning, design and amenity director Jody Bosman said people had been attempting to manually operate the gates causing damage to the mechanism over recent months.
Two cases of boom gate vandalism were under investigation.
“Council will seek prosecution of offenders, if identified,” Mr Bosman said.
He said the council recently installed CCTV to “improve public safety and enable monitoring and investigation of acts of vandalism”.
“Council is also looking at options to make these gates less susceptible to damage in
the future.”
He said any difficulties can be reported to an operator via a “live contact system” at the car park.
Meanwhile, the damaged boom gate would be replaced “as soon as repaired”, a council spokeswoman said.
In its short life, the car park has been blighted by malfunctioning lifts and luke-warm patronage levels.
The council is set to unveil plans to increase the car park’s popularity especially in attracting cars into its regularly top-tiers.
Mr Chang suggested a low-priced long-term parking rate for traders parking on the upper decks.
Mayor Sean O’Reilly mused that the car park seemed to have become more popular since the boom gate was removed.
“It’s become an ongoing thing. People don’t seem to realise they’re breaking the gates by lifting them up to get through – it’s happened so many times.”
– CAM LUCADOU-WELLS