Parklet to allow more outdoor dining at Bar Soma

A car park outside a Scarness bar and restaurant will be converted into a parklet to provide more opportunities for outdoor dining and a place for pedestrians to sit and relax.

At its meeting today, Fraser Coast Regional Council gave approval to the CEO to negotiate a parklet permit for Bar Soma following a petition signed by about 900 people in support of the proposal and a detailed car parking survey of the area.

Mayor George Seymour said there were already two parklets on the Fraser Coast – outside Maddigans Seafood on the Hervey Bay Esplanade and in front of Toast in Bazaar Street in Maryborough.

“Parklets can provide a range of benefits including increased foot traffic, economic boosts for businesses by providing more outdoor dining options, creating a sense of place and vibrancy in the community and encouraging people to stay longer in an area,” he said.

“This new parklet will only require the removal of half a car park with Bar Soma proposing to build the parklet to the west side to provide full access to a fire hydrant taking up half the car park.

“This will allow Bar Soma to provide more outside dining options for their customers and potentially allow them to increase their operating hours in the future.

“While Bar Soma will fully fund the parklet, the general public will also be able to use it outside the business’ operating hours.”

Cr Daniel Sanderson said Council had established a working group to develop a parklet policy and guidelines, and consider acceptable locations for installing parklets.

“Council currently has a trial parklet outside Maryborough City Hall to showcase to the community how it could work once the policy is finalised and a suitable location is chosen outside a business that is keen to give it a go,” he said.

“Evidence from across the country suggests parklets successfully activate areas and Council’s Corporate Plan outlines our commitment to creating connected, inclusive communities and spaces.

“It’s all about building better communities together.”

Additional background

A parklet is a small public space created by converting part of a street or car park into an area for people to gather, relax and engage in activities such as outdoor dining.