Warrnambool council in bid for cash to create more outdoor eating places

Some of the ideas put forward by the council to spend the money on include adding a courtyard section to the Civic Green, putting outdoor heaters in the laneways or parklets in the car park.

Artist impressions of the ideas were uploaded to the council's Facebook page in the hope it generated discussion - the council stressing they were just to stimulate public feedback and were not actual proposals.

The council is hoping to get more funding from the state government's Outdoor Eating and Entertainment package after it was successful last year in getting a financial boost from the same source.

That money was used to upgrade three laneways with a combination of synthetic turf, new seats, planter boxes and power outlets.

The council was also able to waive registration fees for about 400 food and accommodation businesses - an amount that added up to $141,000. Applications for the new round of funding close on Friday.

Comments on Facebook were critical of using any of the land at the Civic Green for a courtyard along with concerns about the space to host Christmas carols.

"The Civic Green has had enough land taken. It's public open space. Leave it alone," wrote one resident.

But others said more seating and shading on the Civic Green was a great idea.

Another said that while the grants were great, it would just create more infrastructure for the council to maintain - something it couldn't afford.

Another suggested Warrnambool weather only leant itself to alfresco lifestyle a few months of the year.

Some of the other ideas raised by the community included using the funds to create more outdoor spaces at Flagstaff Hill, fixing McGennan car park and adding a water play space on the foreshore.

Mayor Vicki Jellie said it was good to get the feedback on where to utilise the money so it wasn't just the "same old, same old".

"There might be some innovative ideas we haven't thought of," she said.

The council's city growth director Andrew Paton said there had been really good feedback from hospitality and businesses about what the funds could be used for.

He said it was about utilising public spaces for the long-term benefit of the city, but the criteria for the funding was very specific.

Mr Paton said there were plans in the works for potential winter weekend events to tie in with whatever infrastructure the council installs with the government funding it might get.

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The need for more outdoor eating spaces has been highlighted in the wake of Victoria's pandemic lockdowns with restrictions on numbers at hospitality businesses forcing them to move some of their patrons outside.

A number of venues have had to erect marquees in car parks and on footpaths to cater for an increased number of patrons.

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