Buzzapp Master 
Article content
The NCC also earns props for its beautiful restoration of the recently reopened Westboro Beach. The canteen there, operated by Wilderness Tours, will soon be licensed, and I’ve been told that beach chairs, umbrellas and stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals are on their way, as is a restaurant, The Grand.
Article content
The city, meanwhile, is jumping on the public spaces/gatherings bandwagon by launching its Street Seats pilot program, which, in collaboration with the Centretown BIA, will pedestrianize small sections of Frank, Florence and MacLaren streets immediately off Bank Street, and enliven them with seating, public art and programming.
Article content
The National Capital Commission recently unveiled major upgrades including a zero-carbon pavilion, accessible paths, and interpretive features celebrating the area’s rich history and geology at Westboro Beach. Photo by ASHLEY FRASER /POSTMEDIAArticle content
This isn’t groundbreaking. In 2021 and 2022, for example, Oat Couture Oatmeal Café on Bank Street in Old Ottawa South was permitted to close a small section of Glen Avenue, where it set up seating and tables for anyone — customers or otherwise — who wanted to use them.
Article content
Article content
The handful of Centretown businesses I spoke with all voiced their support for this year’s pilot.
Article content
“I absolutely love this idea,” said Leanna Gazo, manager of The Great Canadian Poutinerie at the corner of Bank and MacLaren. “This helps people get outside, which in Ottawa you can’t do for much of the year.”
Article content
Fauna restaurant owner John Svazas also welcomed the outdoor space that his customers and others will enjoy. “This project is super-welcome,” he said. “We had a lot of success with the street closures during the pandemic, but it was difficult when we did it ourselves in the last two years: there were a lot of requirements and it got very expensive and hard to beautify.”
Article content
Across Bank Street, meanwhile, Chamberfest artistic director Carissa Klopoushak is looking forward to the pilot, which starts July 1 and runs ’til mid-October, to give her organization more exposure, whether that’s simply through selling tickets to concerts, or bringing live classical music to the streets. “It’s really great when the city does interesting things to make more spaces more community-accessible,” she said, “and does something new and fresh and exciting.”
Article content
Article content
Fans of the recent years’ lane and street closures on Somerset Street West between Bank and O’Connor, however, may be disappointed to learn the Centretown BIA is taking a step back this year in terms of pedestrian-friendly access there. On weekends in recent summers, recall, one lane of the block was closed to traffic and given over to restaurants for outdoor patios. For two weeks last summer, the entire block was closed to traffic, with summer programming, including drag shows.
Article content
Not all of the businesses on the block were restaurants or bars that benefited from the lane closures, though, and some were reportedly upset at possibly losing customers via inaccessible parking spaces. A subsequent change in BIA leadership brought with it less willingness to repeat previous years’ programming. Instead, this year, new lines will be painted on Somerset and the street parking switched from the south side of the street to the north. Beginning July 1, two restaurants — Union Local 613 and T’s Pub — will be permitted to build outdoor patios on the parking spots directly in front of their establishments.
Article content
Welcome to Ottawa: two steps forward, one step back. But still, some things are improving. Time to get outside and enjoy them. Try one of the chairs and see if it fits.
Article content
Article content
Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.
Article content
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings