Perth Voice Interactive

POCKETS of dangerous methane gas could scupper plans to build a new cafe down at the Maylands foreshore.

After 10 years of umming and awwing, Bayswater city council recently set aside $21,500 to investigate building a sea-container style cafe at the river.

But the plans might never get off the drawing board because of pockets of underground gas.

“The cafe investigations of this nature would involve technical specialised advice, including the implications of methane gas,” wrote council officers.

The WA environment department is currently assessing several “contaminated” sites in Bayswater, including the Maylands foreshore, golf course and yacht club.

Cr Terry Kenyon, the former mayor, says the council should buy back the riverside cafe it sold to the rowing club.

“As far as I know the rowing club only meet there one day a week and for the other six days it sits empty,” he told colleagues.

“We should negotiate with them about buying out their 25-year lease, rather than spending $20,000 on another foreshore study.

“We have dilly-dallied long enough on this.”

Cr Michelle Sutherland also bemoaned the council’s 10-year procrastination.

“We’ve been operating at a snail’s pace on this one,” she says.

“We need to get the ball rolling and could even use some of the existing infrastructure down there.”

Cr Sutherland said the toilets were a “bit dicey” at the rowing club but agreed the premises could be converted into a decent cafe.

Sea container cafes are as popular as bushy beards and jam jars and can be found in Fremantle, Cockburn and at Tomato Lake, Belmont.

Cr Stephanie Coates says the council should take a look at Muvbox, a pop-up shipping container restaurant that can be easily moved about.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK