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Town staff want your opinion on the spring 2021 patio program

Details to be presented to council in January 2021
patio-table-outdoor-seating-restaurant
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NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF BRADFORD WEST GWILLIMBURY
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The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury (BWG) thanks the many local businesses that set up patios this summer, via the BWG COVID-19 Temporary Patio Program, to continue to serve their customers during this extraordinarily challenging year. Fifteen businesses took part in the program, opening a total of 18 patio spaces. The temporary patios closed on Nov. 1.

“The COVID-19 Temporary Patio Program was an essential step in helping our businesses to weather this pandemic,” said Town of BWG Mayor Rob Keffer. “I would like to thank our staff for launching this successful program quickly and smoothly, and thank our residents for their phenomenal support these past few months, through their ongoing patronage of our local merchants and for their patience with lane restrictions.”

The BWG COVID-19 Temporary Patio Program was created in response to Premier Doug Ford’s July 3 announcement that business closures, ordered during Stage 1 of the COVID pandemic, would be relaxed for restaurants offering dining on patios. The province’s amendment of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act allowed quick passage of bylaws permitting patios, complementing earlier legislation allowing liquor licensing to extend to patios.

BWG was one of the first Ontario communities to approve a temporary patio program, creating a quick, online application process for both private-property patios and patios on public sidewalks. The public program included the use of lane barriers to provide safe walkways along the sidewalk patios. Barriers were generously provided free-of-charge by local business Ontario Barrier Wall and pre-cast curb stops were provided at cost by local business Utilicon Engineered Precast Structures.

Town staff are working on a spring 2021 patio program, with details to be presented to council in January 2021. A survey has been sent to participants in the temporary patio program, and a separate survey for the public is now available.  

Restauranteurs on private property who wish to explore options before the anticipated spring program are encouraged to contact the Office of Economic Development at [email protected]

Please continue to support our merchants. Shop and Dine in BWG!

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