Patio season is almost upon us and Bracebridge Mayor Graydon Smith says weather is the only current determining factor on when it could start.
Smith says that in February, Council extended the loosening of Bracebridge’s patio rules through the end of the year.
“We really want businesses, specifically restaurants, to be able to be open and have more seating, have more space,” he said. “We’re setting aside some of the typical rules to ensure that they can have the best chance of success.”
Smith says it’s prudent for business owners to contact the Town’s planning and development staff to make sure everything is good from a safety and accessibility standpoint at their locations.
The Mayor says obviously people will also have to space appropriately on patios and that where Bracebridge sits within the current COVID-19 framework at any given time will determine things too.
Currently, outdoor dining is allowed in Red Zone areas with a limit of four people being allowed to sit together at tables a minimum distance of two metres apart.
Name and contact info is also currently required for all outdoor patrons at restaurants and bars too.