Hamilton will extend outdoor patio dining through October 2021
- Craig Clark
- 13 Oct 2020
City council voted last Tuesday to extend the popular bylaw that allows restaurants to have outdoor dining until October 2021.
The outdoor dining district program allowed over 160 businesses that were located close to residential areas to open patios on sidewalks and parking lots this summer.
#HamOnt extends patios through the winter — but will that be enough? Some restaurateurs worry not https://t.co/wMsLEbrJav#COVID-19 #HamOnt #restaurants
— Hamilton Spectator (@TheSpec) October 13, 2020
Allowing alternative outdoor dining was a lifeline to many restaurants and bars that were affected by the health and safety restrictions put in place to control the spread of COVID-19.
Being able to eat outdoors provided diners a safer experience rather than eating in crowded dining rooms amid the pandemic. The bylaw extension would allow all these outdoor dining spaces to remain open during colder winter months.
Although many restauranteurs appreciate the extension, there is a long list of items required to provide an enjoyable outdoor dining experience during the harsh realities of a Canadian winter.
The demand for outdoor heaters has left many business owners on long waiting lists at different stores until they have the required equipment back in stock. In some cases, the waiting list spans months.
With many restaurants trying to recover financially, heaters are just one expense of operating an outdoor patio in the winter.
Lead image courtesy of @DwntwnHamBIA
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