Pay and display car parking system extended at Hot Water Beach.

A pay-and-display parking system will be extended to include the Taiwawe Reserve (Bull Paddock) at Hot Water Beach for summer 2015-2016.

Pay and display parking was introduced over a year ago at the main car park at Hot Water Beach and has generated around $52,000 in income so far.

"Introducing additional paid parking will generate income which will be reinvested back into services and facilities catering to visitors at Hot Water Beach and Mercury Bay, including toilets and changing rooms, walkways and other recreational facilities impacted by tourism," says Mercury Bay Area Manager Sam Marshall.

"Having another pay and display car park will also contribute to upgrades to toilets and other related facilities and therefore won't come from ratepayer pockets," says Mercury Bay Community Board Chair Paul Kelly.

Local residents/ratepayers within the defined area of Hot Water Beach will be able to get an exemption so they don't have to pay for parking at both sites. They will just need to collect a parking permit by getting in touch with our Mercury Bay customer services staff.

The Taiwawe (Bull Paddock) car park was completed last year to provide for overflow parking at Hot Water Beach, particularly over the peak summer period. It has capacity for 193 vehicles.
The Hot Water Beach main car park has 50 parks, along with disability spaces and 20-minute parking for drop off and pick-ups. There is also allocated spaces for Hot Water Beach Surf Lifesaving Club. Currently the Pay and Display charges are $2 an hour or $15 for a full day but this may be reviewed. The car park charges for the Taiwawe Reserve car park are also to be set.

"With the projected income from the Taiwawe car park and the Hot Water Beach Main car park we estimate a combined revenue of approximately $80,000 for the Mercury Bay Area," says Mr Marshall.

"We want to upgrade some facilities at Hot Water Beach, including providing a better toilet and changing room complex so any revenue from car parking will contribute to this," says Mr Kelly.

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