Ongoing car park woes for Murwillumbah

THE long saga of Murwillumbah’s parking woes is ongoing, with Tweed Shire Council updating the community on the status of repairs to the multistorey car park.

Partially closed since December 2023 due to a fire, the carpark located next to the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre has been under repair ever since due to a confluence of events, including damage from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Setbacks along the way have stymied the Council’s repair efforts since it engaged consultants in early 2024 to assess and finalise the scope of work.

Due to the complexity of the project, additional expertise was required, and extra specialists, including forensic engineers and materials specialists, were brought in.

“Alongside these investigations, Council has been working with specialist materials engineers to find solutions to longstanding waterproofing issues that meant water was leaking from the top level down to the next one,” a Council spokesperson said in a statement.

“Before the fire, there were signs of minor corrosion to the steel, but the corrosion quickly got worse after the fire.”

Waterproofing works were on the long-term maintenance schedule, but the Council’s priority was to repair the fire damage as soon as possible to cause less disruption, which was paramount.

Work was expected to begin in April 2025 after the summer and school swimming carnival seasons; however, experts debated the project’s viability without waterproofing repairs.

The waterproofing quote was unexpectedly high, and new technical experts have been engaged to explore alternative solutions.

Insurance does not cover waterproofing work, and the Council is seeking funds to complete it.

The Council is also working with new consultants on the repair process to find a different way forward.

“Tweed Shire Council is acutely aware that there is ongoing community frustration about this project,” the statement said.

“Everything is being done to get the work completed, taking future busy pool times into account.

“As soon as there is a firm program and timelines in place, the Council will communicate this to the wider community.”