by Cam Lucadou-Wells
An environment group is pouring on the heat for crockery at the soon-to-reopen Springvale Community Hub’s café,
For two years, Greater Dandenong Environment Group (GDEG) has fought for hot drinks in crockery cups at the six-star sustainability-rated hub’s outlet.
It had taken issue with the previous café operator’s single-use, disposable cups.
Curently, the site’s owner Greater Dandenong Council is sifting through Expressions of Interests to choose the future café operator.
GDEG president Isabelle Nash says previous excuses didn’t wash, such as no dishwasher being on the premises or having just a single staff member.
“It’s not hard. The City of Monash serve hot drinks in crockery at the Clayton Community Centre not far from the Springvale Community Hub and they have only one staff member there”.
It would also be a step towards the council’s stated goal of being one of the most sustainable Australian cities by 2030, Nash argues.
“If they can’t even give visitors to a council building the opportunity to have coffee onsite, what hope do they have?”
Nash also challenged the council to “walk the talk” on its pledge for a “range of special sustainability conditions” on future leases at the café.
Council chief executive Jacqui Weatherill said in the EOI process, the council was “not prescriptive in requiring specific sustainability measures”.
“Instead, applicants were asked to demonstrate how they would incorporate sustainability practices in the running of the businesses.”
Applicants were also asked for their environmental initiatives to support a “healthy, liveable and sustainable city”, as well as any social benefit initiatives such as workplace training and charitable deeds.
The selection process will also focus on “quality food and drink”, hours of operation and community education and training initiatives, Weatherill said.
She said the cafe is expected to re-open in the first half of 2025.
