Brimbank council is considering a proposal to let a coffee van operate from the carpark of Buckingham Reserve.
An online survey of 239 Brimbank residents conducted last year sought community feedback about the council’s parks and found that eight people said “cafe facilities” would improve their park experience.
The council’s infrastructure and environment director, Neil Whiteside, proposed trialling a coffee van at the Sunshine West park.
The proposal has become part of the council’s draft revamp of its Creating Better Parks policy, which is available online. Community feedback is being sought until June 15.
Mr Whiteside declined to respond to questions about whether a tender would be put out to operate the van, or when the trial would start.
“The logistics of this proposal will be determined if and when the proposal is adopted as part of the Creating Better Parks update,” he said.
The draft policy states a coffee van would not be a council service but something negotiated with an external provider.
Entrepreneur Leigh McCrabb said he would be keen to be part of the council’s plan to support Sunshine’s growing cafe society.
Mr McCrabb owns West Footscray cafe Brother Nancy and plans to open another in Sunshine before the end of the year.
“The area is untouched,” he said. “The demographic is shifting … about 70 per cent of my customers are from Sunshine or Braybrook.”
Sunshine Business Association president Bruce White said the council’s plan was “a nice idea … and that’s probably all it is”.
“If it helps activate the park, that’s a plus. Gentrification is happening,” Mr White said.
