Goya Dmytryshchak
Maribyrnong council will extend and expand outdoor dining established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic until at least April 30 next year.
Councillors last week voted to extend the outdoor dining program introduced last year to help bars, restaurants and cafes survive.
Forty-seven parklets (parking bays re-purposed for tables and chairs) popped up across suburbs including West Footscray and Yarraville.
A pop-up park in Ballarat Street at Yarraville and a laneway in Yewers Street at Footscray were also opened up to diners.
A $250,000 state government grant will be used to maintain existing outdoor dining areas and install more in the Footscray CBD near Footscray station, Nicholson Street Mall and the West Footscray Indian Quarter.
Councillors last week voted to investigate a permanent closure of Ballarat Street, between Canterbury and Anderson streets, in Yarraville.
They also voted to investigate permanent greening of Byron Street Plaza in Footscray to support outdoor dining.
The program initially started as a six-month trial in November after the council received $500,000 government funding.
Cr Sarah Carter said it was a “no brainer” to extend outdoor dining.
“From the very outset there was a strong demand for this and it just made sense at a time when we’re not seeing the uptake in parking on streets – there’s just not that activity,” she said.
“When we do need to expand the footprint to accommodate the change in trading, it was a no brainer, really.
“It’s been an overwhelming success … we’re enjoying our outdoor spaces all the more, and that includes these spaces as well, and that sense of community that we’ve been really able to, alongside traders, engender through this parklet program, and support the local economy.”
