Published on Thursday, 16 December 2021 at 1:29:38 PM
Locals and visitors can enjoy a delicious array of fresh food and ice creams when The Meeting Place takes over an upgraded storage shed on the western end of the park next year.
The unused existing part of the brick building will be prepared by the City of Vincent this financial year to make it ready for transformation into a new kiosk space by the successful tender.
The Meeting Place is the sister company of Mt Lawley favourite – Veggie Mama and brings with it an exciting new menu catering for all dietary requirements.
Vincent Mayor Emma Cole said Council had reached a decision on an issue that had attracted much passion and community interest.
“Hyde Park is a place we all love and the decision provides for a kiosk to be established in an existing building near the playground,’’ she said.
“The kiosk is designed to be small scale and respectful of the unique and beautiful Hyde Park environment. The Meeting Pace kiosk will offer a range of food and drink options for kids and adults including special treats, like icrecream, and healthy options.
“The decision was not taken lightly, with many residents and visitors wanting both a kiosk and the existing mobile food vans to stay.
A kiosk in Hyde Park is an issue that was visited in the past, when I first joined Council in 2013. At the time a proposal for a kiosk generated support from the community, however a decision was made to introduce mobile food vans instead for the first time in Vincent.
“The intent was to give food trucks a go and to test the activation and introduction of food offerings in Hyde Park and other popular Vincent parks.
“Food truck permits operate on different terms. Rather than being permanent fixtures in Vincent parks, the intent was for food vans to be mobile and changing. As part of their tender process The Meeting Place requested that mobile food vans not continue in the park to give their business a chance for success.
“With the terms of lease and low-cost annual mobile food van permits being fundamentally different, the City of Vincent believed this to be a fair request.”
Mayor Cole said the tender process was open to everyone, and mobile food vendors at Hyde Park were made aware of the process – with one submitting a proposal.
“The criteria was open to everyone, it did not specify lease terms and invited proposals on offerings from submitters, including a business concept, aesthetic suitability to Hyde Park’s unique surroundings, management (including waste and environmental impact), company credentials and financial and operational heath,’’ she said.
“Consideration was also given to healthy food offerings with tenders invited to submit a sample menu.
“Whilst the successful lessee, Veggie Mama Pty Ltd is the parent company and a long-term local Vincent vegetarian business, this will be an entirely new business.
“The Meeting Place’s food offering is diverse, not limited to vegan or vegetarian options, and their parent company has been a long-time and successful local Vincent business.”
The Meeting Place/Veggie Mama owner Dylan Weiner said he was over the moon and delighted with Council's decision.
“Hyde Park is a stunning tranquil oasis within our City, and we can't wait to support the community providing a variety of delicious food for locals to enjoy, and to working with the City of Vincent to make the Meeting Place a roaring success,’’ he said.
“The Meeting Place was chosen as the name, because it refers to a culturally significant site to Aboriginal men and women and is a place where Aboriginal people meet and gather.
We wanted to retain the history of this site by paying homage to the local elders.
“We will work in collaboration with the City with regard to co-ordination of design and construction works and following the City's completion of works within the premises, we will commence our fitout.”
Mayor Cole said existing Hyde Park food vans still had months to run on their existing annual permits and have been invited to Banks Reserve to check out a new, powered site near the popular playground.
“We also have other spots in Vincent Parks as well as regular markets and events which need food vans,’’ she said.
Important kiosk facts;
• The lease terms does not allow for any sale of alcohol, even on a temporary permit basis.
• The City of Vincent has allocated $55,000 to do the basic work to turn the existing storage shed into a tiled, painted room with sink, ready for The Meeting Place to self-fund the main fit out.
• The initial 5 year lease term (of $$27,273 plus annual CPI increases) ensures that the investment from the City is recouped.
• The amenity of Hyde Park will be retained through this small-scale food offering which is unobtrusive, within an existing building and away from the lakes and without use of generators.
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