Sisto Malsaspina’s family calls for city lane to be named for him
The family of slain Pellegrini’s cafe owner Sisto Malaspina are calling for a city laneway to be named in honour of the Melbourne legend who was killed in a terror attack.
Victoria
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The family of Sisto Malaspina wants more recognition for the slain inner-city cafe legend.
Mr Malaspina was murdered in a 2018 terrorist attack in Bourke St, after he left his beloved Pellegrini’s to take a walk.
Melbourne City Council had considered renaming a lane next to the cafe — Crossley Street — after the popular figure, but it did not comply with rules set by the Office of Geographic Names.
Factors taken into account included historical, logistic and financial issues, as well as safety concerns related to possible confusion involving emergency services finding the address.
Instead, Mr Malaspina was honoured with a plaque on a table outside Pellegrini’s.
But his son David is urging the council to reconsider renaming Crossley Street.
“Sisto Way, we would love to see that, that’s pretty cool,” he said.
“When you work 80-hour weeks for 40-something years, and you give so much to the community, and with pleasure, you know, sometimes it’s nice to get a little bit of recognition.”
“Some say there could be an issue with maps and GPS points and all that, well, all our emergency services people know where Pellegrini’s is, I don’t think that’s such a big issue.”
Mr Malaspina said his father would have struggled to cope with Pellegrini’s being closed during the lockdown.
“He always wanted to catch up with people and see how they’re going because he took an interest in people,” he said.
“I believe dad would have still gone into the shop and stood there behind the coffee machine just to talk to people.”
Pellegrini’s is due to open when restrictions ease.
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