The City of Vernon is extending temporary measures so businesses can activate outdoor spaces in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This summer, the City created a Temporary Outdoor Commercial Use program, allowing businesses to expand their operations into parking lots, sidewalks and parking stalls, so customers and staff could continue practicing physical distancing.
Now with the extension, businesses can continue using their parking lots, as well as sidewalks in the Downtown Business Improvement Areas, until October 31, 2021, within the guidelines of the program. Downtown businesses will also be able to use single on-street parking stalls to create pop-up patios or for retail uses during the warmer months, from March 1 to October 31, 2021.
Businesses with liquor licenses will be pre-approved to have their licenses extended into these temporary spaces until October 31, 2021.
“Through the Temporary Outdoor Commercial Use program, the City is helping our community maintain physical distancing,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “This program extension will also help businesses continue to adapt as we head into the colder months and plan ahead for spring and summer.”
For information on the guidelines and the process to implement these temporary measures, please visit the City’s website at vernon.ca/covid-19/ or contact buildingcounter@vernon.ca.
Below is an example of a local business taking part in the Temporary Outdoor Commercial Use program this summer.
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