Maribyrnong Council: CARPARK COWBOYS!

If the Maribyrnong Council has its way, a wooden fence is all that will separate Hong Chai’s house from the noise of one thousand cars streaming past. Every day. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week.

Without consulting her or any other residents of Eleanor Street, the Council has approved the construction of an access road from their already congested street to a new car park at the Western Hospital.

“It’s just over the fence. This is the only entrance. You can imagine all the cars that will go past my house. They will stop outside my kitchen window when they go out. You can imagine the pollution from the cars, toxic fumes, lights shining into our windows, noise from the engines. Can you imagine that twenty-four  hours a day? We won’t be able to leave our doors or windows open. I just feel powerless. I don’t know what to do. Especially because we’re from overseas. We don’t know what kind of rights we have. How can we fight this? It’s just so stressful and scary,” Mrs Chai says.

Mrs Chai and her family have called Eleanor Street home for nearly fifteen years. When she brought her house, there were neighbours on each side. She never dreamed one of the houses would one day be demolished and the land leased for a road.

“I worked two jobs to bring up my children in this house.Out of seven days a week, I only had Monday afternoon off for the last 5 years. We just put on a new roof and started renovating our house in January. Now this bombshell. It will definitely devalue my house. And all we’ve been offered by the Council is a higher fence.”

The first that Mrs Chai heard of the Council’s plans was just days before it sent in the bulldozers.

“They sent us a letter. In the first letter, they didn’t mention a road or parking. Just to say we’re going to open the space next door to the public. And then in August they sent me another letter saying they’re going to make a road going through to the parking station. 

I was really shocked. I really don’t know what to do. No one was consulted. The school on our street didn’t know anything about it, the Ambulance Service didn’t know about it. They haven’t been open or honest about any of their plans."

And with Footscray’s growing population, she's worried the number of cars will only increase.

"Our dream is shattered. Are we going to stay in our “home sweet home” or a polluted, toxic house? How can we stay here? What will be our future?"

What Mrs Chai and the residents of Eleanor Street can't understand is why the Western Hospital won't allow the Council access through a small section of their existing carpark on Gordon Street?

Why is the Council even considering using Eleanor Street, a narrow street that is already struggling with traffic from the Catholic School and the only access point for the Ambulance Service.

The Maribyrnong Council has refused to explain why or release detailed plans.

We are calling for all works to cease until there has been meaningful consultation with the Community and for The Council to negotiate to make the access and exit to the car park via Gordon Street.

For more information on how you can help, please visit our blog: carparkcowboys.blogspot.com.au