During the pandemic, Mornington Peninsula Shire delivered an exciting outdoor activation program across the Peninsula. The aim was to support traders who had struggled through months of closures caused by COVID-19 restrictions. The program allowed traders to develop "parklets" by extending the trading area out the front of their shop. In some cases, this involved extending the service area of hospitality businesses to car parking bays. Fencing, planting and furniture were installed, and car parks were reimagined as beautiful alfresco eateries!
The outdoor activation initiative also saw a range of cultural activities in town centres, including art, music and performance. Overall, the program was very well received by the community and visitors, while feedback from traders varied.
Following the conclusion of the Emergency Declaration period, the temporary Outdoor Dining Program ended. Because the parklets program had received significant community and Council support, we began developing a policy which would enable traders to create parklets for ongoing use. This draft policy considers the positive and negative impact to all traders and is benchmarked against other Councils' policies.
The draft policy will be considered at the Council Meeting on Tuesday 25 July. A copy of the draft policy will be included in the agenda papers published on our website in the days prior to the meeting. If the draft policy is endorsed for community consultation, further information will be published on the Shire website.
Quotes attributable to Mayor Councillor Steve Holland:
"Parklets have been very successfully operating in a couple of townships on the Peninsula since the pandemic. The draft Parklet Policy has been developed to strike a balance where permanent parklets can be a benefit to the community and not disadvantage neighbouring businesses."
"If the draft policy is endorsed, I'd encourage everyone to share their opinion when consultation opens."
