A scaled-back version of the facility proposed for Wade Park will go to Orange City Council for approval, including training lanes, office space, a canteen, storage and a multipurpose room. 

It will no longer include expanded grandstand seating.

To be built on the western side of the park, it will include access from Lords Place.

MAP: Where the residents are talking about …

But residents opposite, some of whom do not have driveways, say the development will only worsen a shortage of parking outside their homes, caused by motorists who work in the CBD and require all-day spaces.

The all-day zone starts at their block, with the block north limited at one-hour parking. 

For Helen Wood and Margot Church, bringing the groceries in often requires them to walk from Wade Place and Moulder Street respectively. 

“They park there from eight o’clock in the morning until six o’clock at night, or they might take a train and park for five days at a time,” Ms Wood said. 

“I can’t park in front of my house.”

Ms Wood said there was sometimes parking available across the road, but questioned whether it would be once the cricket centre opened. 

Mrs Church supported a parking time limit of two hours, with residents exempted, similar to Kite Street opposite the Department of Primary Industries and in Anson Street, between Moulder and Kite streets, but the City of Orange Traffic Committee denied the request in February.

She conducted a survey of the Ophir car park during a two-week period, which revealed it was half full most of the time, and questioned what the council was doing with parking contributions charged to businesses who did not provide enough spaces.

“They should lower the cost to $1 a day,” she said.

“They’ve got the money, but we’ve got the cars.”

Rebekah Sanders and partner Rod England raise three children aged between one and 11.

“To bring in the groceries with three kids, including a baby, it doesn’t work,” Ms Sanders said. 

The report to councillors said because the centre would not be used at the same time as major sporting events, the impact was expected to be insignificant.