The Mayor of Manningham, Jim Grivas, has acknowledged community anger over parking infringements issued during the recent St Haralambos Greek Festival, saying he was “disappointed” by the impact the fines had on volunteers, parishioners and visitors, while emphasising the council’s responsibility to maintain safety during large events.
In a statement sent to The Greek Herald, Cr Grivas described the St Haralambos Greek Festival as “a much-loved event for our local Greek Orthodox community and for Manningham as a whole,” noting his personal connection to the parish.
“As someone connected to the parish, I was disappointed to hear that some volunteers, stall holders, parishioners and visitors received infringements during the festival,” Cr Grivas said. “Nobody wants to receive a fine, and I understand how upsetting this has been for many people.”
The mayor’s comments come amid ongoing frustration following the issuing of dozens of parking infringement notices at the festival, held in Templestowe on Sunday, February 15. Around 100 attendees reportedly returned to their cars to find fines on their windscreens, overshadowing what is usually a major celebration for the local Greek Orthodox community.
Festival organisers have accused Manningham City Council officers of excessive enforcement, arguing that while safety must be respected, the approach taken on the day went further than expected.
Organiser Nick Xerakias told Nine News that council officers were anticipated at the event, but enforcement was stricter than what had been discussed in advance.
Mr Xerakias said there was no dispute over fines issued for blocking driveways or parking in clearly prohibited areas, such as corners. However, he said many attendees were fined $122 for parking on nature strips, claiming council officers had “exhausted their strictness” during the festival.
The controversy unfolded despite the presence of several elected representatives at the event, including Cr Grivas, Deputy Mayor Deirdre Diamante, Councillor Isabella Eltaha, Federal MP Gabriell Ng and State MP Matthew Guy.
In his statement, Cr Grivas acknowledged the challenges of managing large-scale community events and said safety and compliance must remain a priority, particularly at gatherings attended by families, children and older people.
“Large events can be challenging to manage, and I recognise that busy conditions on the day may have influenced how people parked,” he said. “But we all play a part in keeping our streets safe and accessible.”
Cr Grivas said his understanding was that the organising committee had been advised officers would be patrolling the area and had worked closely with council in the lead-up to the event. He added that signage had been installed around surrounding streets reminding visitors not to park on nature strips, across driveways or in ways that could compromise safety.
“My focus now is maintaining our strong relationship with St Haralambos Parish,” he said. “I’ve invited Father Demetrius and the church committee to meet with me so we can talk through what happened and work together on how to support a safe, successful and well-coordinated event in future years.”
In a separate statement on Monday, Council acknowledged community concerns but defended its approach, describing the festival as “an important annual event for the local Greek Orthodox community and the wider Manningham community, celebrating culture, faith, food and family.”
The council said it had worked closely with the parish and organisers to improve parking arrangements and ensure access for residents, visitors and emergency services.
Cr Grivas reiterated that parking infringements are subject to a legislated review process and encouraged anyone who believes a fine was issued incorrectly to seek an internal review.
Requests can be lodged online via the Manningham Council website, by mail, or in person at the council’s Customer Service Centre in Doncaster. Those needing assistance have also been encouraged to seek support through the parish.
