Hi everyone,
I hope everyone is keeping well amongst the COVID-19 outbreak. I’ve got an update RE: Parking:
Today is the day we officially get fined for parking outside of the designated area, or for if we stay for too long as customers. Thus, today was the day I decided would be best to get in touch with the centre.
I’ve included the contents of the email below for if you are curious, but bare with, it is long.
Thanks again to all of you who have signed!
Good evening Marisa,
I hope you’re well amongst all the panic at the moment around COVID-19.
I’m just emailing in regards to the staff parking that was started on the 2nd of March. The reason I have chosen today to get in touch again, the 16th of March, is because today is the day we will officially begin getting fined if we do not follow the rules.
I do not have an email address for any of the other Centre Management Team, but I trust you will pass this on if necessary.
I have attached an screenshot of the 3,968 people who agree that staff should not have to pay for parking. 3,968 people and counting stand with us. Isn’t it incredible the number of people we reached within this time frame?
I have also attached a link to the petition below for you.
Clearly, it is not just the staff/retailers/tenants of Botany Town Centre that are against the staff being forced to pay for parking in designated areas.
There have been a number of reasons outlined within the petition against the parking fees and designated area that I am aware you have read. There are reasons also pointed out to you and your team from the community on your Botany Town Centre Facebook Page as well as through the comments on the petition. For your convenience, I have attached some of the comments below that the public have left. I urge you to read more than what I have included below and pass it on to your superiors so we can change this situation. There are plenty there and they demonstrate a small portion of the outcry.
1. “I am a resident on Armoy Drive, Since the start of March our narrow street is parked up with cars all day (10 hours) every day. Because of the malls thoughtless new parking policy it has caused inconvenience towards its staff and residents nearby. I urge you to rectify the situation immediately.”
2. “ I don’t see the need for staff to pay for parking. There are always plenty of available spaces.”
3. “This will cause congestion on neighbouring streets. These big shopping centres need to manage greed (the amount of shops) vs planning which includes car parks for both shoppers and staff.”
4. “Tenants and their staff provide fantastic facilities, goods and services to bring in customers to the Town Centre. Sadly this is not valued as limited pay parking is imposed to staff. In fact there are vacant car parks before not to say now.
It is not just a matter of money, it is dangerous, time consuming, inconvenient and stressful for staff especially those working late. When no parking is available, one needs to ring up for parking in customer area and moves the car every 4 hours. Besides, shopping on a day not working also needs ringing to avoid fines.
Staff are often customers as well, is it a fair to treat your everyday customers by this mean measure?”
5. “Retail staff are on the lower end of the pay scale, with their pay they must fund their housing - be it a mortgage or rent - their food, other living expenses while trying to maintain some joy in life... to pay for parking to go to work is obscene and not acceptable. I’ve worked in that mall and it is NOT a safe place at night, even walking to the carpark can be risky let alone walking down the road to their car. Not to mention the security of said car... it’s ridiculous! Good luck team, fingers crossed someone listens.”
6. “I don’t believe staff should be forced to pay for parking or security! A majority of retailers get minimum wage as it is and yet they are to be robbed to park there car. Rubbish! They already park miles away and sacrificed there own security. Soon no one will want to work in botany and then you will staffing issues and then less foot traffic because businesses will start to fail. Find another way to pay for the expansion and upkeeping of botany town centre. Look after the Retailer's and staff.”
Before you mention that we could use the Public Transport options, it isn’t a viable option nor solution for some people who have families or who live in different suburbs. In your website it mentions that the mall hotspots are “family friendly.” Surely this goes for staff as well as customers?
Before you mention that your competitors, other malls and other institutions make staff (and sometimes customers alike) pay for parking, I would’ve thought since the AMP Capital website mentions that “We know what’s expected of us;
We take the time to understand the people we work with and we value their contribution...” you would listen to those (and others) who’s contribution you say you value.
Please, don’t continue to make staff pay for parking.
On the behalf of all those that signed,
Claudia McNulty
Link to the petition:
http://chng.it/B5MymMXP26