Dining in at your favourite restaurant may be stopped for now but patios are welcoming patrons across Port Coquitlam — just in time for sunny weather.
Nine PoCo businesses have received permission from the city to expand onto sidewalks, parking lots — and even a city lane — providing safe outdoor space for small household gatherings.
With more businesses applying for the temporary patio permit it’s expected that additional pop up patios will be up and running soon as the city looks for ways to keep businesses going through the pandemic.
Being able to spill outdoors onto a patio is critical, “especially now,” says Kyle O’Genski, CEO and partner at Patina Brewing Co., whose brewery and restaurant in downtown PoCo opened an expanded patio on a city lane last year.
“We’d otherwise be in dire straights right now,” said O’Genski.
Thanks to the patio extension, Patina can host patrons at 19 tables instead of just four, so people can enjoy a freshly made brew or enjoy some specialty smoked barbecue on site if they don’t want to pick it up or have it delivered.
They can also bring their pooch, as Patina received Fraser Health approval for having dogs on the outdoor patio.
O’Genski said having the outdoor space enables the business to keep running and 30 employees working while giving people a place to enjoy some quality time safely.
“We’re a place in the community where people can come together together and right now people are looking for a place to have tiny escapes from their home.”
The expanded patio policy is particularly important now with dine in eating and drinking closed for several weeks.
Patina is located at 2332 Marpole Ave.
Seven other local establishments have also received approval for patio extensions, providing Port Coquitlam residents with many options for quaffing a beer or eating a burger outdoors. Check with the establishment to ensure the patio is open.
* Taylight Brewing, 1485 Coast Meridian Rd.
• North Paw Brewing, 2150-570 Sherling Pl.
• Cat and Fiddle Pub, 1979 Brown St.
• Tinhouse Brewing, 2140 - 550 Sherling Place
• Dairy Queen 1475 Prairie Ave, 2550 Shaughnessy St.
• Provincial Spirits, 1170 - 573 Sherling Place
• San Remo Pizza, 3008 Flint St.
“The city recognizes these are challenging times and we encourage our local businesses to take advantage of our temporary outdoor expansion program and other supports/resources available to businesses,” a spokesperson said in an email.
For more information about the program for Port Coquitlam businesses, visit portcoquitlam.ca/bizhub.
