Media statement
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne
The short-term hirers agreement with Comedor endorsed by Council last night for 12 months follows an extensive and thorough community engagement process. This included hand-delivering more than 2,700 letters to households within 150 metres of Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, extending the online submissions portal by an additional month, installing signs in the park to advertise the submissions process, and community meetings held on-site and at the Pride Centre, Newtown.
As a result of this extensive process, the proposal was amended to reduce the size of the outdoor platform and preclude outdoor seating. These amendments attempt to address concerns about potential noise impacts on neighbouring residences and impact on public space.
Under the amended proposal, the servery window at the rear of Comedor will only serve takeaway cafe-style food and beverages. A bin will be installed near the platform which will be managed and collected at night by Comedor. The platform will be accessible for public use both during and outside hours of service, which have been previously approved by the Land and Environment Court.
I’m satisfied that the amended proposal addresses community concerns as best it can while allowing us to proceed with a proposal that will significantly enhance one of our well-loved local parks. This agreement will provide park users with direct access to one of Sydney’s best restaurants, meaning they can enjoy a coffee or snack while watching their kids at the nearby playground or walking the dog, and add to the vibrancy and diversity of our hospitality offerings in the heart of Newtown.
Similar agreements are in place with enterprises in other Inner West parks, including Yeo Park in Ashfield, Badu Park in Annandale, Leichhardt Park, Enmore Park, and Petersham Park. Each of these establishments are assets to the community, support vibrancy and local commerce, and are well-used by locals. I’m confident this agreement will make a similar contribution to Camperdown Memorial Rest Park.
I thank all of the community members who participated in the community engagement process which helped us reach this outcome.
