Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Taking restaurant patios to the curb could have benefits

May 27, 2020 | 5:00 AM

KAMLOOPS — AT FIRST GLANCE, the plan to allow restaurants to extend their patio areas all the way to the curb sounds a bit Rube Goldberg but it could have some benefits that extend beyond COVID-19.

Reason for the temporary change in rules on sidewalk sitting is that it will allow the restaurants downtown and on the Tranquille corridor to more easily ensure social distancing guidelines are followed, and serve more customers.

Retail sales areas are included in the new sidewalk plan along with restaurants.

The idea is that the restaurants and stores could either use the entire width of the sidewalk and provide a walk-around in the adjacent parking stalls, or infringe into the parking stalls and leave room to walk past on the sidewalk.

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Sounds like it could be chaotic but it just might work. It would be in effect until October and could provide some guidance on what to do in the long-term to make the two main shopping districts more pedestrian friendly.

If the policy is expanded to include full closure of some streets to traffic, it would, in effect, serve as another pilot project for the possibility of a permanent pedestrian mall in the downtown area.

There will be complaints about the annexation of parking stalls, especially on Victoria Street, but it might help get shoppers used to parking on other streets and walking a block.

Another benefit will be to take activity in those shopping zones outside to the street and establish a whole new energy to them.

Merchants will have to deal with red tape to set up these expanded patios — they’ll need building permits and there will be costs to build the required barriers and ramps, with a little help from the City — but it could be well worth it.

Good on City Hall for taking a creative approach to helping out the businesses and their customers. I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.