This weekend the City of Kamloops will end its extended patio policy that allowed businesses to apply to extend their patios onto public sidewalks as a way of mitigating losses from COVID-19 restrictions.
Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association Executive Director Carl DeSantis says they’ve submitted a proposal to City Hall asking to bring the program back next year.
“The KCBIA has submitted recommendations to council for their consideration regarding the extension of the extended patio program, beginning with a start date of April 1st, 2021,” he said on the NL Noon Report. noting the hope is that the next patio season will be approved to continue throughout the year.
“If we got that favourable decision, that’s going to allow businesses time to plan ahead for the cooler seasons.”
DeSantis adds the hope is to also find solutions for businesses that were denied this year because of site-specific problems like street signs or crosswalks.
“We’ve also asked that the city consider approving flexible options that will allow extended patio installations in all locations,” noted DeSantis. “I get there’s some physical barriers – parking meters and things like that that are in the way. You know what? Those don’t have to be barriers, those can be conversations and lets find a way around it.”
Overall though, he says, this year’s program was extremely helpful for businesses hit hard by restrictions that limited the number of customers they could have inside.