The City of Windsor is celebrating Stage Two of reopening with a pilot project that welcomes patio diners.
Mayor Drew Dilkens announced Friday morning a Parklet and Curbside Cafe pilot project, in cooperation with the Walkerville Business Improvement Association (BIA), designed to help local restaurant owners welcome patrons back after the three-month closure brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Stage Two portion of Ontario's economic reopening plan allows for restaurants and bars to serve customers on patios. Restaurants and bars had been restricted to drive-through, curbside, and takeout service since mid-March.
With some of those restrictions lifted, Windsor City Council voted Thursday night to waive the railing requirement for outdoor cafes and patios for the rest of 2020 to allow for more patrons to be served safely. Council also agreed to work with all the city's business improvement associations (BIA) on temporary street closures that will allow for cafe expansion and support "buy local" efforts.
Dilkens said the concept will help rejuvenate neighbourhoods deeply affected by pandemic-related shutdowns.
"Enabling more space for outdoor and open-air dining experiences will allow for more patron seating, while maintaining proper social distance requirements," said Dilkens. "We're focused on creating more space for hospitality businesses to host patrons and support the local economic recovery here in the city of Windsor."
Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI), said the continued reopening of the local economy is helping more struggling small businesses get back on their feet.
"Stage Two represents hope, hope for a struggling tourism and hospitality industry, where there have been many losses and sacrifices," said Orr. "Today there is hope, hope that the residents of Windsor-Essex, who have been cooped up for three months, will venture out."
With the positive energy generated by Stage Two reopening in Windsor and the majority of Essex County municipalities, came the concern about Kingsville and Leamington which remain under Stage One reopening due to an increase of COVID-19 cases in the agri-food community. Orr pledged to help the two communities navigate the economy with the hope of bringing the entire region to Stage Two soon.
The City of Windsor has already agreed to allow a WindsorEats outdoor food hall at Lanspeary Park, to defer all property tax payments until June 30, and provide over 10,000 litres of hand sanitizer to local small businesses and community groups.
An artists rendering of a patio cafe. (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
-With files from Adelle Loiselle
