Establishing better connections between UTAS Stadium and the city is more crucial than providing parking close to the stadium, according to the City of Launceston's chief executive Michael Stretton.
At the council's latest meeting, councillors endorsed the UTAS Stadium Draft Future Direction Plan, which looks to transform it to a year-round venue and provide a 5000-seat indoor sporting and entertainment facility.
Councillor Tim Walker asked how an increase of maybe 30 to 40 per cent capacity during the bigger events would be catered for in the 852-spot car park UTAS is building off Forster Street.
The $5 million car park will become the council's property after construction, with 386 public car spaces and 484 to be reserved for UTAS staff and students.
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Mr Stretton said in negotiating the lease agreement with UTAS, the council negotiated to have access to all car parks for major events, but it would increase if the JackJumpers, Tornadoes or a Tasmanian AFL side used the precinct.
He said the council believed there was enough parking to sufficiently cater for the current demand.
"We want to encourage people to walk from the city to the ground. We want to have that MCG or that Adelaide Oval experience where people do come across the new pedestrian bridge and enjoy the new precinct which is going to be extremely vibrant once the university establishes and we have more business out there," he said.
"So I don't think parking around the actual ground is as crucial as it is about making sure it's well connected to the city and that we have got people using multiple forms of transport to get there - public transport, bikes, walking - rather than just reliant upon parking close to the stadium."
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
