Double Standards on Parks

The City of Yarra wants to charge personal trainers around $40 an hour to use our parks. Meanwhile, people are welcome to park two tonnes of steel all day in the Yarra Park for a peppercorn fee of $8. In terms of damage to the grounds, exclusion of other uses, maintenance, visual amenity and public safety there's no doubt that half a dozen people in a circle flailing their arms and legs around has far less impact. The Council says it's going after the trainers because they're running a business aimed at getting people fit. But if your business is to get people to scoff pies while watching others exercise, it seems you enjoy steeply discounted mates' rates. If we're going down this path, let's have some fairness and transparency in the Council's cost-recovery model.