Free parking at Whangarei's Town Basin could become a thing of the past, with the area dubbed a problem parking "hot spot", aggravated if the Hundertwasser Art Centre goes ahead.
Whangarei District Council plans to spend $400,000 on electronic signs at the approaches to the CBD this year, which would live track and display available spaces in major council-owned carparks at Forum North, Water St, Laurie Hall Park, Vine St and the Central City Car Park building.
Council roading manager Jeff Devine said average occupancy of these during the day was just 56 per cent, but also pointed to "hot spots" such as the Town Basin, where parking was free and extremely difficult to come by.
Mr Devine said the council would now investigate options for charging in the area, especially given the increased pressure there if the Hundertwasser Art Centre went ahead next year.
Councillors had been examining parking since 2011 and in April asked staff to investigate "free parking", seen as popular with the public.