PARKING issues at Cleveland have "reached boiling point" as the Doig Street West car park closes permanently to make way for a five-storey aged care facility.
Grant O'Neill, who has worked in the area for more than 20 years, said several business owners had been losing customers or receiving complaints because of parking problems.
He said his business at the corner of Waterloo and Middle streets was feeling the immediate impacts of the car park's closure.
"Overall profit is down from the first day and every customer has complained about access to car parks nearby," he said.
"I've had to reduce hours and cut staff [and] all for what, an aged care facility, the last thing the heart of Cleveland needed."
The Doig Street West parking lot is now out of action as construction begins on a five-level aged care facility.
Signs around the CBD advise visitors that it has increased the number of 12-hour parking spaces on Doig, Waterloo, Queen and Middle streets to help Cleveland Centre workers.
Councillor Peter Mitchell said the council had encouraged its employees to park on the area's fringes and leave space for shoppers.
"They make up about 45 per cent of employment in the area ... so it is in support of all the workers that some of these changes are being made," he said.
"We have the whole construction [of the aged-care facility] to go through, so these impacts aren't going to go away around that area anytime soon. That is just the reality and we can't sugarcoat it.
"I know there are further changes coming on Doig Street in response to the input that is coming in now."
Cleveland Locksmiths owner Brian Terry said a lack of parking had significant impacts on small businesses.
"Now that they have closed the council car parks, council employees are parking on the streets because they have changed the signs to 12 hours," he said.
"We have a private car park where we are at Queen Street and it's full of people who are not shopping in our area.
"None of our customers can stop because they are full of people from other spots, so that's going to be a major issue."
Bulletin reader Ziggy Smith said it was luck of the draw getting a park during the day and was particularly problematic for couriers and food delivery drivers.
"Whilst greenery is nice in the CBD to stop it looking like an eyesore, the garden beds stick out and occupy what could be more car park spaces," he said.
Mr Terry said just one spot for taxis was required on either side of Middle Street, which he said was the busiest spot in the town.
"To block off all of those spots for cabs is insane," he said.
"It is a great concern to me that so many little businesses fail here. The rents are high, rates are high and now they are taking away parking."
Cr Mitchell said off-street parking in Cleveland was poorly utilised and businesses had been meeting with transport planners to manage their own parking.
"The door is wide open because it will only benefit business, council and visitors the more information that comes through," he said.
"I know there were over 30 changes to the parking optimisation as a direct result of that business input, which was both for-profit and not-for-profit groups."
Pearson Bros Property Management co-owner Graham Pearson raised concerns last year about the aged care facility build throwing CBD parking into chaos.
He predicted that there would be issues when workers started taking up parks during construction.
