A new bar, cafe, ice creamery or even canoe hire outlet could soon be housed in the East Kiosk at Commonwealth Place on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.
The National Capital Authority is inviting proposals from "innovative and experienced operators" to manage the kiosk which has been a fixture of the popular stop-off point on the lake since 2008.
Suzanne Hannema, the authority's director of events and place activation, said the current operator's lease and options had expired and it was standard practice to seek interest from potential new operators.
"It's opened in 2008 and since that time has had three operators," she said.
The authority's proposal says the venue will be available to lease from October and suggests possible uses could be a cafe, bar, ice creamery, hire of sporting equipment such as bikes or canoes, or a souvenir gift outlet. The nearby West Kiosk serves as a hire outlet for segways.
Ms Hannema said the site was in a prime location close to the national institutions, on the bridge-to-bridge loop, and she hoped whatever business opened would increase visitation to the lake and surrounds. Contribution to the vitality of the National Triangle will be a key consideration.
"We want to enliven the shoreline so we thought this would be a good opportunity to do that," she said.
"We all find we go down to the coast to enjoy ourselves, yet we have a beautiful lake here.
"We're looking for an established business who may be looking for a lakeside satellite. Maybe there's a food truck business or a caterer looking to branch into bricks and mortar. Maybe there's a bar that's looking to expand and looking for a lakeside spot."
The authority envisages a license for three years, with an option for a further two years.
Proposals for East Kiosk can be submitted until August 19. Email to licences@nca.gov.au for further information.
