File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Reopening Businesses

Kamloops council allows restaurants, shops to spill out onto sidewalks as they reopen

May 26, 2020 | 3:50 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council is relaxing restrictions on outdoor patio sizes and retail sales areas in order to help businesses come back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Tuesday’s (May 26) regular meeting, council agreed to allow businesses to spill out onto sidewalks and private commercial properties throughout the city in order to keep the outlets open but encourage physical distancing.

“This isn’t going to help every business in town but it is going to affect and help the majority of businesses in town,” said Councillor Mike O’Reilly. “What’s being proposed today is touching businesses all the way from Dallas to Brocklehurst to Westsyde to Aberdeen and that’s incredibly important. The retail and restaurant industry in Kamloops is not just downtown and it’s not just on Tranquille.”

“These are not going to be block parties, they’re not going to festivals, they’re not going to be BrewLoops in the context that we have talked about them in the past,” noted Mayor Ken Christian.

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While there was little opposition to the move, council did wrestle with whether the City should foot the bill for accessibility improvements or barrier fencing for restaurants and retail outlets.

Council eventually agreed to install several curb letdowns to improve accessibility at certain locations, but stopped short of paying for barriers.

“To know fault of their own, really, there are businesses in town that don’t have a ramp even leading up to their front doors,” said Councillor Kathy Sinclair. “We do need to consider accessibility here, we need to make this easy and we need to make it consistent for those members of our community who have a difficult time getting around.”

The relaxation of restrictions will be in place until October 31.