Modern Cafe on Commercial St. was able to add four extra tables on an outdoor patio supplied by the City of Nanaimo as part of a pilot project during COVID-19. The extra space helped owner Daniel Caron navigate reduced capacity inside. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

al fresco

Expanded patio program helps Nanaimo restaurant owners weather COVID storm

Sep 15, 2020 | 5:20 AM

NANAIMO — A temporary program designed to increase space for local cafes and restaurants received rave reviews.

City council green lit a temporary patio expansion program in May, which saw the city build patios to be placed in parking spaces in front of participating businesses.

Bill Corsan, city director of community development, said the program was geared towards restaurants who needed the space and didn’t have large patios.

“The uptake was good, it’s kind of what we were hoping for. Some restaurants that had never had patios before came in and were able to take advantage of the program.”

Four restaurants in the downtown took advantage including Modern Cafe, Craft Fair, Flavours of India and The Breakfast Nook. A platform was also delivered to The Drip in Departure Bay, the only non-downtown business to take part.

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Modern Cafe received one of the bigger patios to place on Commercial Dr. after petitioning council in May to support the pilot project.

Owner and chef Daniel Caron told NanaimoNewsNOW the patio was extremely useful to provide a safe dining experience and keep his doors open when his capacity dropped by half.

The restaurant typically sat up to 85 tables before COVID-19. Caron said including outdoor space, he can now safely accommodate 42 tables.

“The weather cooperated fairly well, that’s the biggest thing right there. We had people sitting out there on weekends from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., the patio was always used for the past two months or so….so it helps the revenue stream,” Caron said.

He’d like to see the city-owned patio structure remain through the winter months.

“We can’t have parties of four wait inside now. I’m going to be using the patio with tents or other options so people could stand outside, covered from the rain.”

The patios are currently due to be taken away and stored by the City through the winter months due to concerns over drainage and potential snow removal.

Council will be briefed on the program at their Sep. 28 meeting before deciding whether the structures will be removed over the winter or allowed to remain.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley