Cochrane’s temporary patio pilot program will return for the 2022 outdoor dining season.
After a successful first year, the Town of Cochrane is bringing back the opportunity for restaurants and bars to utilize nearby outdoor spaces like sidewalks and parking spaces, to create temporary outdoor patios.
“We received positive feedback after the first summer of this program and recognize that there is a desire from local businesses to expand into outdoor spaces and we are here to make that process easier,” said town director of planning and development services Mike Korman in a statement.
“When we support local businesses, we support our community. These temporary outdoor patios bring a vibrancy to our outdoor spaces, and an opportunity for customers to enjoy the sunshine while supporting local.”
The program was initially launched last year as a way to allow businesses to make up for lost revenue from indoor dining sales while restrictions were in place during the pandemic.
The Venue Bar and Grill, Donair on the Run and Mehtab East Indian Cuisine, were among some of the local restaurants to participate in the pilot program.
Jag Thind, owner of Mehtab, said the space constraints of the parking lot around the restaurant made it difficult to implement the patio, though with more time to plan — they may be able to make it work better for them this year.
"It was not properly planned last year because there was very limited time," said Thind, who is also vice president of the Cochrane and District Chamber of Commerce. "But I know it worked really well for other businesses and I think it's a great thing for the town to be doing again."
The program will continue as a pilot to provide room for feedback and future enhancement.
Temporary patios can be set up in private parking areas, on publicly owned sidewalks and municipally owned and reserve parcels, as well as in parking stalls on public roads.
Restaurants who wish to partake must provide details of patio setup, follow guidelines, and meet certain criteria. There is no fee to apply and a short waiting period for approval
Temporary patios can begin operations on May 14, 2022, once town planning staff have reviewed an application.
Applications for temporary patios open now and will permits expire Sept. 30. Find out more: cochrane.ca/Patio.
