Attachment F - Carparking Evaluation & review

Aerial mapping and photography of each of the playgrounds were reviewed to provide context on car
parking placement within the developments. Council summarized carparking numbers for key playgrounds
in the attached document, “Hinterland Playground Carparking Numbers”.
It was noted that few dedicated parking spaces were provided in private developments, unless additional
attractions were adjacent (eg: a Community Centre and café next to the park in South Ripley). Playgrounds
delivered by local government, such as those in Gympie, Milton, Fitzgibbon and Landsborough, had some
dedicated off-street car parking provided; but again these developments delivered more than just
playgrounds, and incorporated related spaces such as dog parks (Fitzgibbon), sporting facilities
(Landsborough and Milton) or other recreational uses (Gympie – cultural and historical areas specifically).
Given the regional context and similarities between playground designs, Council elected to adopt the Lake
Alford playground in Gympie as a benchmark for deriving car park numbers. The Gympie Council initially
built 30 spaces specifically for the playground opening, but quickly added another 30 - providing 60 spaces
in total - due to unanticipated popularity of the development.


3. A service-level review of likely maximum attendance numbers at the site, allowing a derivation of
   possible maximum car parking needed as a result.

Form Landscape Architects (FLA), the consultant used by Council to masterplan and design the Hinterland
Adventure Playground, developed a capacity review based on maximum patronage that can be
accommodated at the site. The methodology involves a calculation based on the maximum number of
children and adults that can be comfortably accommodated at the site until such time as capacity is
reached and additional visitors are discouraged from attending. From here the numbers are re-calibrated to
equate to the number of cars that could deliver this level of patronage, with a subsequent allocation of car
parking numbers made. FLA relied on their experience with recent playground design and attendance to
derive the likely patronage numbers and car use.
Whilst this offers a unique, ‘high-level’ approach to analyzing car parking numbers, it effectively provides a
rationalized, service-level review of the playground in isolation of the existing car parking offered already in
the town, and as such derives a form of benchmark for deriving the ‘ideal’ car parking numbers needed
when the playground is at maximum capacity.
Refer to the analysis which is attached. FLA concluded that up to 176 adults and 236 children could be
accommodated at the playground. Using appropriate factors for vehicle occupancy, this equates to
approximately 117 carparks for adults and 124 carparks for children.
Due to existing parking, available overflow parking and staggered peak demand for parking, it is considered
impractical to provide parking to cater for the full peak demand. As such, it is anticipated that 60 parks will
cater for parking demand 90% of the time. This is based on reduced demand on school days or during
inclement weather, seasonal fluctuations with tourism numbers and natural variability in visitations from
locals following the initial opening. In addition, the centralized location of the site adjacent to the Cooroy
CBD and Library is within walking distance of public transport stops and local residents as well as the
Cooroy and Noosa District Schools.
FLA then provided a comparative carpark analysis between the Hinterland Adventure Playground and a
selection of similar playgrounds, including some noted above, as well as the Ken Fletcher Park in
Tennyson, Northshore Riverside Park in Hamilton and Walton Bridge Park at The Gap (all developed by
Brisbane City Council). Results are in the attached report. It is shown that the Hinterland Adventure
Playground project offers carparking supply well in excess of the playgrounds surveyed.
In striking a balance between the “ideal” number and what is already available, Council concluded that
approximately 60 new carparks would provide the most practical and appropriate number of spaces for the
proposed development.



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