Restaurant dining rooms in red zones have been closed since the beginning of October, with no end date to the restrictions in sight one off island municipality has come up with a way to support local eateries.
Saint-Lazare is set to transform a drab plot of land near Bedard Park into a temporary restaurant park where residents can enjoy local cuisine outdoors.
“While shopping at one of our local store called Les Cheffettes, the owner was asking me if we could create something for her customers. They have nowhere to eat because she has no where to sit them because of COVID,” said Saint-Lazare City Councillor Genevieve Lachance.
The councillor brought the idea to the city’s economic development committee. The committee, whose goal it is to assist local businesses loved the idea.
“With the pandemic, it’s really, really important that the city even does little things to help out (local businesses), because it’s really difficult to all of them,” said Lachance.
The group unanimously agreed the park is a great way to help numerous restaurants in the neighbouring strip mall. Andre Chryss is one of the owners of the restaurant Bravo Pizzeria, located in the mall for 15 years. He said during the pandemic, every day is a struggle to survive, so he was elated to hear about the new development.
“It would be a very positive thing to do for the people and for the merchants all around,” said Chryss.
Within a few weeks, landscaping should be finished and picnic benches will be added for residents to sit at.
“We don’t want to be creating crowds but we just want to make it enough so that we can distance the tables for people to come and sit,” said Lachance.
Saint-Lazare residents who frequent the area, welcome the family-friendly idea.
“We’ve actually taken advantage of the park across the way, and when there aren’t any benches available, we would sit on the grass, but if there picnic benches here I could see us having a lunch here one day,” said Natalie Smith.
The next phase of the project is to have local artists decorate the space, with completion expected to be done in June.
“There’s a contest for local artists that they can submit until Monday noon,” said Lachance. “Their ideas of art pieces and we will be able to have some exhibition where people can come and see their work and we’ll jazzy up the place after that.”
Lachance hopes the park will encourage people to support the local economy, and give them somewhere else than a parking lot to enjoy their takeout.
Comments