Sumathi V. Selvaretnam
News reporter
Valets in HDB carparks troublesome?
September 11, 2008 Thursday, 04:03 PM
Sumathi V. Selvaretnam stakes out the Holland Village situation. <HR style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 0px solid; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 20px; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 0px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 0px solid; HEIGHT: 0px">FOR the past three days, I have been spending my evenings at the main carpark at Holland Village talking to people about their parking woes.
The popular residential, food and entertainment enclave has been facing a parking crunch since 2004 when some car parks were closed for the construction of the Holland MRT station.
On a typical evening, motorists can spend a good 20 to 30 minutes waiting for a parking space.
To improve the situation, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said on Monday that it will introduce an electronic parking system later this month.
It also put up bright red signs at the car park saying that valet operators are no longer allowed carry on with their businesses.
HDB said that some motorists and residents had received negative feedback from residents and motorist on the way these valets operate.
However, for many frequent patrons of the area, these valets have been a god-send, helping them save precious minutes so that they can be on time for their dinner reservations or beauty appointments.
The valets also offer a drop-off service for patrons who have had one too many beers.
A number of establishments in the area also have tie-ups with the two valet operators and their customers enjoy free valet parking.
So it comes as no surprise that business owners are concerned that their customers would stop coming if they cannot find parking spaces.
Mr Ghazi Georges Khanashat the managing director of Lebanese Restaurant Al- Qas’r said he might be forced to move if the situation worsens.
The residents that I spoke to said that the parking situation has improved since more season parking lots were introduced recently.
On Wednesday evening, for example, I found more than ample parking available for residents.
Jenny How, who lives at Block 14, Holland Avenue for example, no longer has to sit in her car for 20 minutes waiting for a lot while her dinner got cold.
Residents like Mr John Eramanis, 63 have “no problem” with the valets who at most wave at them to use their services.
“It is a good service to provide if regulated properly,” he said.
HDB said residents take priority when it comes to parking spaces.
But Holland Village faces the unique predicament of being not just a residential estate but a popular food and entertainment hotspot as well.
Resident Bernard Seto summed it up pretty well.
“It’s much better now for residents. You cannot have the best of both worlds.”
It's back to circling the carpark for half an hour
to find a lot before dinner at Holland Village.
ST Photo: Lim Wui Liang
