PLANS to push ahead to build an unpopular car park in Cooleman Park have been scrapped after the ACT government finally accepted opposition to the proposal from the Weston Creek community.  

A campaign from community groups and businesses including Save Coolo Park via social media forced government to revise plans for a temporary car park on public green space.

Save Coolo Park said in a brief statement the action group was “delighted at the outcome and enormously thankful for all the support”.

A spokesperson for Save Coolo Park said a commitment to “make a big noise to save the park” with emails, petitions and objections to ACT Legislate Assembly members and the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal eventually paid off.

“We look forward to seeing the area activated with more shade trees and picnic benches, and would love to see a restoration program for the park and its remnant native woodland – there’s no shortage of volunteers for that task,” the spokesperson said.

The car park at nearby Cooleman Court has battled with overcrowding since residents from neighbouring suburbs, Wright and Coombs, were forced to drive over to Weston Creek over their inability to access their own promised shopping centre.

Labor member for Murrumbidgee Chris Steel had reduced proposed parking on Cooleman Park from initially around 150 to a last offer of 65 spots to ease the public outcry.

“The original car park design was significantly revised in response to feedback, which saw the car park size halved, decreasing the impact on nearby homes and would have only seen one tree removed with more trees and shrubs planted,” he said in a statement.

It was not until the Weston Creek Community Council looked to convince bureaucrats that alterations to Cooleman Court could absorb most of the extra parking spots that Mr Steel shelved the proposal altogether this week.

Mr Steel, who is the Minister for Transport, defended his actions in addressing the findings of the Weston Creek Centre Master Plan, but understood the frustration of residents that did not support bulldozing a public park.

“While the DA (development application) was approved for the revised plans, it has been clear through the subsequent appeals to ACAT (ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal) and other representations that the temporary car park does not have support,” he said.

“That is why the ACT government has decided not to proceed with construction of the temporary car park.”

The master plan for the Weston Group Centre in 2014 said: “that there will be an increased demand for car parking and public transport during the transitional period while Molonglo Valley residents use the Weston group centre”.

Mr Steel believed issues over parking that “would still remain” can be addressed to satisfy concerns first raised by the community in Weston Creek.

Funding that was allocated for the temporary car park will instead “in consultation with the community” transfer over to an upgrade nearby Brierly Street.

Plans are also afloat for a pedestrian crossing on Parkinson Street and a speed hump on Liardet Street towards supporting the master plan recommendations.

“The issue of car parking is not going to go away at Cooleman Court, however, the ACT government will still construct access improvements to the existing car park at Dillon Close,” Mr Steel said.

The Greens that form a coalition government with the Labor majority have opposed the temporary car park plans at Cooleman Park.

The Canberra Liberals took credit for the decision that benefited the community after claiming the Opposition “stood alongside them the whole way”.

“It is beyond disappointing that this proposal was taken to this late stage, in spite for the clear community opposition,” Liberal Member for Murrumbidgee Jeremy Hanson said.

“Mr Steel should apologise to the community for the anxiety and stress he has caused them.”