Community
22 November, 2023
Muddy’s bright makeover
POPULAR children’s play area – Muddy’s on the Esplanade – is to receive a facelift.
Improvements to Muddy’s Café are also in the works.
About $700,000 has been set aside in this financial year’s budget for the playground.
Lifestyle and community director Destry Puia told last week’s council meeting that there were two projects underway. One was to replace the play equipment and the other was to upgrade the water play area.
He said “we hope to be knee deep this side of Christmas” on the play equipment while the water play area would be from early next year.
Mr Puia said concepts were being finalised to share with councillors and the community and the upgrade would be completed by the end of next year.
In the meantime the council has renewed the lease of Muddy’s Café to Rodel and Kayci Browning of Alvinleigh Pty Ltd for another 10 years.
A council report said they had been “exemplary lessees throughout the term of their tenure”.
“The cafe is a family-owned and operated business that currently employs over 50 staff,” it said. “Muddy’s Café is a popular, family-friendly venue that provides customers with a clean and comfortable dining environment, fast and fresh food and drink options and quality customer service.
“The directors and their staff strive to provide new and exciting food and drink options that cater to various dietary requirements.”
Their plans include upgrading and modernising the kitchen, installing an express bar to shorten waiting times, upgrading or replacing the floors, a new state-of-the-art Unox oven, front counter upgrades and new refrigeration.
They also plan extra roof cover, decking and landscaping.
Cr Amy Eden, whose division 5 includes the Esplanade, said Muddy’s Cafe was “top notch” and had “quite the reputation” for healthy food and service. She said the new plans were “sophisticated and not just for tackers”.
Cr Eden said the leasees were investing a lot in the business and property.
Cr Brett Moller said he and his family had grown up with Muddy’s Café and playground from when he took his children there as toddlers to now as the St Monica’s College students went there for coffee and talked about boys.
