The City of Stratford has approved a plan to allow for outdoor dining experiences to help local restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a release on May 29th, the City of Stratford announced the plan to allow for al fresco (outdoor) dining experiences in collaboration with the Stratford Economic Response & Recovery Task Force who pitched the plan to council. The Stratford City Centre BIA will be leading operations alongside city staff, Stratford Tourism Alliance, and the HRT Destination Development Group.
The plan will allow outdoor picnic tables and patio umbrellas to be put in public spaces in order to provide physically distanced dining options for over 200 people. Hand sanitizer stations, additional waste and recycle receptacles, and signage will spread throughout Market Square and Upper Queen’s Park. Other locations may be added in future phases.
Mayor Dan Mathieson says "these types of projects are key to the recovery of our City and our businesses. Thank you to the teams, businesses and individuals who are working towards finding creative, appropriate solutions during these challenging times. This is one step of many for our City, supported by local manufacturers, and with long-term impact.”
Joani Gerber, CEO of investStratford says “I’m very excited to see the Al Fresco Project take its first step. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and the emphasis on high impact with long-term benefits speaks to the quality of the projects being considered and put forward by the Task Force team.”
For more on the project you can visit investStratford.com.
