Restaurant is proposed to spruce up Common

Along with more art shows and theater events, Boston Common could have a new restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating, under a proposal released last night by a City Council subcommittee.

The addition of a restaurant would be a first for the oldest park in the country, and the Special Committee on the Boston Common said an eating establishment would bring more people to the civic space and keep them there, helping to deter crime. The committee also recommends improving the overall scenery of the park.

"Many people will be willing to enjoy a sit-down meal, returning time and again, with the ability to enjoy a drink with their meal," the report states.

The report hints that the lack of beer and wine has hurt the concession stand at Frog Pond and the Emerson College cafe, which is performing poorly, but it does not specifically endorse a beer and wine license for the restaurant.

A spokesman for the committee was not available to elaborate last night.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino would not support a beer and wine license, spokeswoman Dorothy Joyce said. She said that the mayor is willing to discuss proposals to better the Common, but that he does not want to see alcohol near the playground or Frog Pond.

The restaurant is one of several committee proposals to reinvigorate the park, which is suffering from a lack of maintenance and has been marred by recent violence and the presence of homeless people in the area.

Other proposals include a dog park, fences to protect the grass, and improvements to the visitors' center.

Henry Lee, president of Friends of the Boston Public Garden, said his group would support the committee's report because it will spark new interest and investment in the Common.

Lee joined city officials on a recent trip to view parks in New York City, and said his group has proposed a version of a high-end, fast-food shack near Brewer Fountain off Park Street. Though costly, Lee said, the proposal is worth discussing.

"They're bringing attention to a need, and that's a great value," Lee said. "The Common is the center of activity, always has been, and always will be and should be."

Milton Valencia can be reached at mvalencia@globe.com.