The patio at the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse in summer 2018. Image: Inda Intiar/Huddle
It looks like sidewalk café or patio season will begin earlier than usual in Moncton this spring.
City Council has passed first reading of a bylaw which would allow sidewalk cafés to open up on April 16 instead of May 1.
Patio season typically runs until the end of October.
Moncton city manager Marc Landry says that date was chosen because the winter parking ban ends on April 15.
“Based on some of the comments and feedback received, some (businesses) may want to take advantage of a couple of extra weeks,” he noted.
Landry also recommended that City Council waive associated fees for sidewalk cafés – similar to last year – noting how it would help support downtown businesses during COVID-19.
He estimated the City would only lose about $8,000 in revenue.
