The Foggy Goggle, Economy Shoe Shop holiday decor gets snubbed by city

HALIFAX – An attempt to spruce up the front of two downtown Halifax restaurants has gotten notice, but not the kind the businesses had hoped for.

In an attempt at “beautifying Argyle Street,” The Foggy Goggle restaurant and bar on Argyle Street placed wooden planters with tree boughs and branches in them, strung together with lights outside their front entrance. They’ve also put out a sandwich board.

However, in a tweet from the restaurant on Wednesday afternoon, they say the city of Halifax gave them notice that the boxes had to be removed.

Co-owner Natalie Dugie told Global News they hoped to make their restaurant welcoming, as they’ve been impacted by the Nova Centre development.

“It was something to make the street more inviting with the construction across the street,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It was something to make the street more inviting with the construction across the street," she said.

Dugie says their neighbours, restaurant and bar The Economy Shoe Shop has had planters like these and a sandwich board in front of their restaurant for at least 8 years, probably longer.

“They said to get it to the way things were before we put up the patio this year, well that bench in front of the Shoe has been there for 19 years, the menu boards have been up for 17 years,” said Economy Shoe Shop owner Victor Syperek.

Sidewalk squabble

Syperek said the person who delivered the notice said they thought the notice has to do with snow clearing, however that’s something he wants to deal with himself, anyway.

“We always clear our own snow, the little Bobcats make a mess of the sidewalks,” he said.

“That’s an unnecessary excuse on this street.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That's an unnecessary excuse on this street."

Syperek says that though they’ve been told to remove the planters, he plans to resist it.

“I really can’t see their objection, they’re planters, uh, if a Bobcat hit them and broke them I guess it’s our fault, you know, but as I said they don’t really do this street.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I really can't see their objection, they're planters, uh, if a Bobcat hit them and broke them I guess it's our fault, you know, but as I said they don't really do this street."

Deadline extended by city

In an email to Global News, Jennifer Stairs, Senior Communications Officer for the city, said the notices came after inspections were done when the annual sidewalk café season ended in mid-November.

“As per the Sidewalk Café Bylaw, business owners must remove all parts of their sidewalk café from the street by the end of the café season,” the email reads.

The initial notice said the planters had to be removed by December 14; however Stairs said pending any heavy snow fall, they city is extending that deadline.

“In light of the fact that many business owners have taken the time to decorate for the holiday season, we have decided to give them until Dec. 31 to remove these items.”

She also said staff would be reaching out to the affected business owners to let them know about the deadline extension.