Charlotte Varcoe
TEMPORARY parking permits have been provided to mobile food vendors as the community welcomes back the Blue Lake Welcome Centre.
The re-activation of the centre coincides with the permitted vendor spaces and will give further opportunities to those in the industry.
Mount Gambier City Council general manager of city growth Tim Coote said the temporary activation of the sites worked positively alongside the current management plan for the area.
“We are doing what the equivalent of a pop-up service would be and encouraging people to go down to the services when available,” Mr Coote said.
“We have had the desire to reactivate the space in one way or another and as the tourism season ramps back up with good warm weather we were excited to do this.”
He said staff at the centre had received positive feedback thus far with visitors enjoying the facilities.
“We are still waiting on management planning to be finalised and community consultation before making a permanent decision on what to do with the centre,” Mr Coote said.
“But for now we are happy it is there and are excited to welcome interstate visitors as well.”
Speaking on the new vendor spaces available for the industry, Sip Happens owner Kira Thompson said it was a fantastic opportunity for vendors and especially herself and her sister Nikkita.
“The new spaces and availability is fantastic for vendors because it means the council is happily working with us,” Ms Thompson said.
“Before this some of the rules were quite restrictive and we would have only been allowed at the positions for an hour before moving on, which is not ideal when you are running a business out of a caravan.
“However we are hoping this relationship between council and vendors will continue in a positive way because having us around the Blue Lake really adds to the experience.”
Ms Thompson said it was fantastic the council was being more “open” about food vendors and hoped they would be able to work together in the future.
