Arnprior extends patio spaces at restaurants for holiday long weekend
The Town of Arnprior has set up extended patios in on-street parking spaces in their downtown section for any restaurant interested.
The move is being used as another way local businesses can bounce back from the pandemic.
"Even though indoor dining is open right now they still are limited to how many diners they can have in their restaurants, so they’re not being able to operate at full capacity," says Lindsay Wilson, the Town of Arnprior's Marketing and Economic Development Officer.
Wilson says the idea was brought forward by one of the businesses in town recently, which is why the extended patios were only put in place the week of the Civic Holiday long weekend.
"Had the request come forward earlier in the year, it’s something that could have been considered at that time," Wilson explains. "But I don’t think anyone predicted the closure would have lasted as long as it did this spring."
"It would have definitely been great in May that’s for sure, because that’s when we were all closed up," says Chantal Beaulieu, owner of the Sweet & Sassy Cafe, and one of three participating restaurants. "Timing is not the greatest but hey, at this time we still have a good month of summer coming."
The other two participating businesses are Lumbertown Ale House and Urban Angus Steak and Wine. Wilson says she was surprised more restaurants didn’t jump at the opportunity, but points to the lingering effects of the pandemic.
"A lot of them, even with this patio project wanted to participate but couldn’t due to staffing issues," said Wilson.
"At this time and point after the year we’ve had anything helps," adds Beaulieu. "It just adds a little bit of flavour to the town again."
Each on-street patio was given two parking spaces to use, meaning only six total spots are lost to downtown parking. Wilson points to two nearby municipal lots as alternative places to park. And although the move comes with not a lot of summer left in the year, Wilson says there is a possibility the project could be given more time.
"Depending on what restrictions will look like in the fall there’s always the possibility that council could extend the patio season."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.