Ocean Grove’s ‘parklet’ dining comes to an end

OCEAN Grove’s controversial outdoor dining initiative has been removed by council over the weekend after gaining mixed reviews from locals.

The fresh air dining initiative was introduced to The Terrace in 2020 through the support of the Victorian Government’s Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package.

The introduction of ‘parklets’ followed a state-wide commitment to prioritise outdoor activities and overcome capacity limits.

During the program up to 97 open-air seats were added to the main street with the City waiving all outdoor dining fees while providing outdoor furniture, greenery and additional footpath space to encourage more trade in the shopping precinct.

The outdoor dining setup commenced in December under a three-month trial but was extended to incorporate the Easter and school holidays.

While an interim survey conducted by the city found 65 per cent of business operators and 77 per cent of the general public were in favour of the dining initiative, some local traders said the initiative created congestion on the main street.

Following the conclusion of the program on Sunday evening, deputy mayor Trent Sullivan called the initiative a success.

“Two thirds of traders reported a positive experience with the outdoor dining activation and called for an extension of the initial three-month trial,” he said.

“Many traders said the initiative improved the look and atmosphere of the street and helped attract visitors, which helped in achieving our aim of aiding their economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Cr Sullivan said off the back of the success in Ocean Grove, the council was able to secure more state government funding to install expanded al fresco areas on Union, Yarra and Pakington streets.

“The city has issued more than 70 temporary permits for new or extended al fresco areas since September 2020, with businesses embracing the chance to safely expand,” he said.

“The team has encouraged this uptake by fast-tracking the application process and waiving permit fees.”