The Executive Director of the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association is hoping to see the city’s extended patio program brought in sooner than planned after new COVID-19 restrictions were announced on Monday.
Carl DeSantis says the program will be a lifesaver for many businesses if the restrictions on indoor dining are extended further that April 19.
“This is something that cannot wait. It has to be accelerated. We need to get the patios out there so that that lifeline can be provided to the restaurants,” he said. “I’m also receiving encouraging messages back from the city suggesting that its all hands on deck.”
The patio program is expected to start tomorrow, April 1, and run through to October 31. Last year, 13 businesses were part of the pilot program and DeSantis says his team is ready to help out however it can.
“We’ve offered to get out there will hammers and nails – whatever it takes – to support our business community,” he noted, saying he expects there will be many businesses looking to add extended patios this summer.
“Last year more than 13 were interested but there were certain restrictions placed on them because of location. They weren’t, for example, allowed to extend the patio if they were within proximity of a cross walk or if there was a payment machine within proximity of the property,” DeSantis added.
“So, hopefully we’ll be able to navigate some of those challenges.”
The city will provide up to $200,000 towards the program, saying it contributed about $15,000 to each of the 13 businesses to help cover the costs of let-down ramps on sidewalks. Council will revisit the cap on spending if all of the money gets used up.
“There are cooperative relationships that I’ve heard stories about,” DeSantis said. “For example, the Commodore offered to allow The Vic, their neighbour, use of the space in front of the Commodore and they can extend the patio even larger. That’s the kind of cooperative relationship we see downtown and its so much appreciated.”
DeSantis also previously told NL News he is looking forward to seeing rotating block closures on Victoria Street on some Friday’s and Saturday’s this summer.
“We’ve done this for shorter periods of time for block parties and for basketball tournaments, and so its an extension of that philosophy where we created gathering spaces for people to come down and enjoy all things we have to offer downtown,” he said in November.
