With the promise of the tunnel making it easier to avoid the traffic jams of Military Rd and the Spit Bridge openings slowing things down, it’s probably a good time to revisit that old horey chestnut of Parking in Manly.

Ivanhoe Park and the Manly Oval have been saved, but where is everyone going to park when they visit Manly since there has been a net loss in parking spaces? And for that matter are we seriously expecting visitors and residents won’t bring their vehicles into Manly? Are they all going to ride bikes or catch the promised new smaller, faster and more frequent ferries?

Some years ago, a proposal was put to Council, supported by some Councillors, where a car park was built on the edge of Manly, say in or under Keirle Park or Seaforth Oval with a regular electric transport system operating from this park to the CBD. But because it was in a floodplain or too far away it was dismissed as fanciful. Then Manly 2015 plan was hatched to swap the ugly and not so up to modern standards 400 space Whistler St carpark for a 750 space carpark under the Manly Oval. This plan was thwarted by popular protest and finally sent to the bin by amalgamation.

But still, we have no solution to the pressing problem of public parking in the Manly area.

Is it time to revisit a carpark under Manly oval?