A sketch of how the kiosk might look.

A PREVIOUSLY rejected plan for a food kiosk at Hyde Park is back on the agenda.

Vincent council staff have suggested a privately-operated kiosk could operate from the storage room attached to the toilet building near the west end to help activate the park.

Former councillor Dudley Maier submitted a statement to this week’s council briefing reminding them the idea had already been extensively explored and shot down, and said it was “disappointing” this week’s staff report to councillors made no mention of that.

“In July 2014, following community consultation including a robust community workshop, the administration recommended that the concept not be proceeded with,” his statement said. “The item was deferred and never came back to council.

“The driver at the time revolved around activating Hyde Park – probably the most activated community facility in the City.”

The kiosk is proposed to go in the storage shed because the 2003 Hyde Park Conservation Plan says erecting a new building “for a cafe, sporting club, or any other private business” would be forbidden. The Crown Grant that handed the reserve to the old Perth city council required that it be used for recreational purposes only and said no portion of the park should be used for building purposes. 

But the storage building is described as “intrusive” in the conservation plan, so council staff state it wouldn’t have heritage implications to adapt that into a “warm kitchen” that sold coffee and pre-cooked items. A full commercial kitchen would need more infrastructure and may require a section 18 approval under the Aboriginal Heritage Act, which can take years. 

The conservation plan also advises any changes or new uses in the park “should not require regular vehicle access for servicing,” but that guidance is less binding than the crown grant and food trucks have been allowed into Hyde Park for a few years. 

Mr Maier is also critical of the council’s move to discussing items behind closed doors at council “workshops” in recent years, and noted it was also disappointing “this has been discussed at least twice by council without community oversight” at the May and September workshops. 

The kiosk plan is up for discussion at the October 20 meeting, where councillors will consider putting the idea out for public comment.

by DAVID BELL