At a minimum council officers have advised the councillors it will cost $8 million to provide 200 car spaces.

The mayor Ryan Palmer moved the notion of motion at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

“Having a commercial space built into this car park could be a real game changer,” Cr Palmer said.

“It could incorporate medical suites or an educational campus.”

Cr Palmer said time was of the essence as a developer had lodged an application to build apartments on the temporary car park at the corner of Yacaaba and Donald streets.

“We’ve got this DA before us that creates some urgency to recreate some parking.”

The Tomaree Business Chamber of which Cr Palmer was formerly president has long lobbied for more car parks particularly with the last council built multi-floor structure now largely condemned and off limits.

“It was the shop owners and shop keepers that helped us fund that one,” Cr John Nell said in support of the motion.

“It’s not their fault there was a problem with the design. 

“Maybe I’m older than all of you [councillors] but I stopped believing in Santa Claus a long time ago, this is the only way it will happen.”

Cr Ken Jordan expressed concern that council had abandoned hopes of partnering with a developer to construct residences with adequate basement parking, in exchange for the land.

Those two sites being the condemned Donald Street car park and the colloquially known Rivers car park.

“A couple of weeks ago we had a meeting with Anglican Care, what’s happened? If we could get those developments up surely that would address the parking issue,” Cr Jordan said.

“If I put up a motion to spend $8 million on a car park in Raymond Terrace I doubt it would get support.”

Cr Paul Le Mottee said the motion was too vague.

“I would much rather see a notice of motion much more specific than this," he said.

“All our previous attempts have been to no avail so I’m not sure what this is trying to achieve.”

But Cr Le Mottee soon said he was satisfied when the general manager Wayne Wallis stated that council officers were well accustomed to handling sometimes vague notices of motion.

“What we would be doing in this case is developing a range of options for the councillors to consider,” Mr Wallis said.

Cr Giacomo Arnott said it was a logical solution depending on the detail.

“I’m tempted to ask how many storeys you’re proposing [Cr Palmer] but I won’t,” he said.

“I think if the business case stacks up we would be silly not to. It would assist with the rejuvenation of the CBD.”

The motion was carried.

But it wasn’t the only measure council discussed to address car parking on Tuesday night.

Cr Palmer also found support to wave parking fees on Victoria Parade outside of peak periods.

There was debate about just what were the peak parking periods and if it would cause a real loss of revenue.

But those in favour of the move believed it would, with the assistance of Tomaree Business Chamber, encourage more shop keepers to park there instead of in the streets outside shops in the town centre.

“For 48 weeks of the year you could fire a gun down Victoria Parade and not hit anyone,” Cr Palmer said.

“There’s a commitment from the business chamber to work with the businesses to encourage them to park there and with anything like this there is an education period.”