Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

Expanded patios offer much-needed support for beleaguered Kamloops restauranteurs

Apr 14, 2021 | 4:08 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Tuesday, Kamloops City Council approved an additional $150,000 for the city’s extended patio program. The money is meant to build sidewalk extensions so downtown restaurants, bars and cafes can use the existing space to increase capacity. With no end to the current COVID-19 restrictions in sight and a spate of sunny springtime weather imminent, the timing could not be better.

Brick by brick, the City of Kamloops is building upon the success of last year’s expanded patio program. According to city staff, demand for patio extensions has gone up exponentially.

“Compared to last year, we’re up a little bit over 50 per cent, right now,” Planning and Development Manager Rod Martin explains. “Last year we did 13 of the outdoor by-pass sidewalk for the extended patios. This year so far, we’ve had 21 requests, and I’m sure there’ll be a few more coming in.”

That increase in interest is the main reason Kamloops council approved an additional $150,000 to the extended patio program’s budget.

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“Seeing how popular the patio extensions are, the sidewalk extensions are — people are still wanting to get out and support restaurants,” Councillor Kathy Sinclair explains. “It’s something small we can do to ensure that’s still happening.”

With warmer weather imminent, businesses are banking on people flocking to the outdoor dining and drinking spaces.

“Now that they’ve extended and we can go right out across the sidewalk — as you can see, I have about seven or eight tables out here,” Harry Passek, owner of Passek’s Classics Restaurant and Bakery explains. “The more tables we can fit out here, within the keeping the six-foot distance we have to have, the better for all of us.”

Last year’s sidewalk extensions were a simple boardwalk style; this year, we’re seeing some more sophistication in the building materials. That serves two purposes.

“This year, with the pavers, it’s a much nicer-looking option. It’s much more durable. It’s safer,” Martin says. “It’s able to stay up year-round if that decision is made that we want to keep them up permanently.”

Parking, as always is a hot-button issue for downtown shoppers and businesses. However, considering the current restrictions on indoor dining, the city believes the benefits to these restaurants outweigh the loss of a few parking spaces.

“There are still parking spaces available, on the main thoroughfares, on Victoria Street, on Tranquille,” Sinclair explains. “It seems to me it’s been a win-win.”

As a business owner who relies on customers, Passek appreciates the city’s hustle to get these patios built.

“My wife and I, this is our life. We don’t have another income coming in, this is what we do to make a living,” Passek says. “We rely solely on our customer base coming in to support us. Now we have the patio and there’s some nicer weather coming out, we’re getting a lot more support.”