SURVEY SENT TO RESTAURANTS, BARS, HOTELIERS / SONDAGE ENVOYÉ AUX RESTAURANTS, BARS, HÔTELIERS :
The City of Moncton has a by-law in place to regulate sidewalk cafés in the City of Moncton: http://www5.moncton.ca/docs/bylaws/By-Law_L-519_Sidewalk_Cafe_Terrasse.pdf
- As of Friday, May 8, the New Brunswick Recovery Plan states: Restaurants and other similar venues may open if they can respect physical distancing measures except for brief exchanges when they cannot be avoided. They will also be subject to the COVID-19 general guidance.
- Social distancing requirements are going to impact the number of tables on sidewalk cafés.
- Health regulations and Worksafe NB regulations must be followed.
- The City has waived fees for the Sidewalk Café Program for 2020.
La Ville de Moncton a adopté un arrêté pour réglementer les cafés-terrasses dans la Ville de Moncton: http://www5.moncton.ca/docs/bylaws/By-Law_L-519_Sidewalk_Cafe_Terrasse.pdf
- À compter du vendredi 8 mai, le plan de rétablissement du Nouveau-Brunswick stipule: les restaurants et autres lieux similaires peuvent ouvrir s’ils peuvent respecter les mesures de distance physique, sauf pour les échanges brefs lorsqu’ils ne peuvent être évités. Ils seront également soumis aux directives générales COVID-19.
- Les exigences de distanciation sociale vont avoir un impact sur le nombre de tables sur les cafés-terrasses.
- Les règlements sur la santé et les règlements de Travail sécuritaire NB doivent être respectés.
- La Ville a annulé les frais pour le Programme de café-terrasse pour 2020.
QUESTIONS:
Q1. What is your restaurant capacity now as opposed to before COVID-19? / Quelle est la capacité actuelle de votre restaurant par rapport à avant COVID-19?
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q2. Given that the City has waived fees for the Sidewalk Café Program for 2020, will you be applying for a patio licence this year? / Étant donné que la Ville a renoncé aux frais pour le programme des cafés-terrasses pour 2020, allez-vous demander une licence de terrasse cette année?
- Yes / Oui
- No / Non
Q3. If yes, will you be applying for an extension to your patio? / Si oui, allez-vous demander une extension de votre terrasse?
- Yes / Oui
- No / Non
Q4. If you have answered “no” to either question 2 or 3, what are the reasons? / Si vous avez répondu «non» à la question 2 ou 3, quelles en sont les raisons?
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q5. What enhancements will you be adding to your patio this year (i.e. lights, umbrellas, music, etc.)? / Quelles améliorations ajouterez-vous à votre terrasse cette année (c.-à-d. Lumières, parapluies, musique, etc.)?
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q6. The City is proposing to Close Downing Street below the Delta exit to Assomption Blvd. to vehicle traffic; expand café and sidewalk patios to Downing Street area; make it a pedestrian corridor; add tables and chairs for seating. Would you be in favour of this proposal? / La Ville propose de fermer la rue Downing après la sortie Delta vers le boul. Assomption à la circulation des véhicules; agrandir les terrasses et les trottoirs dans le quartier de la rue Downing; en faire un couloir piétonnier; ajouter des tables et des chaises pour s’asseoir. Seriez-vous d’accord avec cette proposition?
- Yes / Oui
- No / Non
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q7. The City is proposing the use of public spaces and green spaces to create “food courts” for takeout dining. These spaces may include: Bore Park; Riverfront Park; Avenir Centre oval; Oak Lane; Robinson Court. Would you be in favour of this proposal? / La Ville propose l’utilisation d’espaces publics et d’espaces verts pour créer des «aires de restauration» pour les repas à emporter. Ces espaces peuvent comprendre: Parc du Mascaret; Parc Riverain; l’ovale du Centre Avenir; Ruelle Oak; Cour Robinson. Seriez-vous d’accord avec cette proposition?
- Yes / Oui
- No / Non
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q8. Do you have other ideas regarding patios that could be considered by the City? / Avez-vous d’autres idées concernant les terrases qui pourraient être envisagées par la Ville?
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q9. Please provide us with your contact information. / Veuillez nous fournir vos coordonnées.
- Name / Nom
- Business / Entreprise
- Address / Addresse
- Email / Courriel
- Phone Number / Numéro de téléphone
SURVEY SENT TO ADJACENT BUSINESSES / SONGAGE ENVOYÉ AUX ENTREPRISES ADJACENTES :
QUESTIONS:
Q1. Would you be in favour of a patio extending in front of your establishment for the summer season? / Seriez-vous favorable à ce qu’une terrasse s’étend devant votre établissement pour la saison estivale? • Yes / Oui
- No / Non
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q2. If no, please provide the reason or reasons. / Si non, veuillez indiquer la ou les raisons.
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q3. The City is proposing to Close Downing Street below the Delta exit to Assomption Blvd. to vehicle traffic; expand café and sidewalk patios to Downing Street area; make it a pedestrian corridor; add tables and chairs for seating. Would you be in favour of this proposal? / La Ville propose de fermer la rue Downing après la sortie Delta vers le boul. Assomption à la circulation des véhicules; agrandir les terrasses et les trottoirs dans le quartier de la rue Downing; en faire un couloir piétonnier; ajouter des tables et des chaises pour s’asseoir. Seriez-vous d’accord avec cette proposition?
- Yes / Oui
- No / Non
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q4. The City is proposing the use of public spaces and green spaces to create “food courts” for takeout dining. These spaces may include: Bore Park; Riverfront Park; Avenir Centre oval; Oak Lane; Robinson Court. Would you be in favour of this proposal? / La Ville propose l’utilisation d’espaces publics et d’espaces verts pour créer des «aires de restauration» pour les repas à emporter. Ces espaces peuvent comprendre: Parc du Mascaret; Parc Riverain; l’ovale du Centre Avenir; Ruelle Oak; Cour Robinson. Seriez-vous d’accord avec cette proposition?
- Yes / Oui
- No / Non
- Please comment / S.V.P commentez
Q5. Please provide us with your contact information. / Veuillez nous fournir vos coordonnées.
- Name / Nom
- Business / Entreprise
- Address / Addresse
- Email / Courriel
- Phone Number / Numéro de téléphone
RESPONSE TO CITY HALL / RÉPONSE À L’HÔTEL DE VILLE :
Report to council COW – May 25, 2020
Your Worship, Council,
I am privileged to be part of a national network – IDA Canada – who represents the 500+ organizations across Canada, managing business improvement areas with representation from every province, including provincial & regional organizations. The organizations we represent are comprised of over 300,000 businesses.
The consensus among our members is that closing our main streets has an extremely negative impact on downtown businesses and on the overall viability of our downtown cores.
Jim Scott a landscape architect who has worked on many projects for the City was quoted on Friday in an article by David Gordon Koch of the Times &Transcript as follows: “ We just don’t have the population to support enough retail in the downtown that we can pull the cars out of there.” Your downtown dies almost instantly with the loss of traffic, he added.
Keeping in mind that full or partial street closures were not on the table, last Wednesday, DMCI got busy to survey downtown businesses in the Food and Beverage sectors to determine how increased capacity could be attained. We also wanted to determine if there was interest in increasing patio footprints for this summer season.
We were interested in knowing:
– What their new customer capacity is as compared to pre COVID – Would they consider increasing their patio footprint – Their views about using public spaces for increased seating capacity
The survey was sent to 65 eating establishments; 7 written responses were received, and we called the rest.
The findings:
- Customer Capacity: there is a decrease in customer capacity from 85% to 50% depending on the
size of the establishment (examples: Black Rabbit, Cinta Ria, Fada’s, IOOB Lounge, Mama’s, Osaka Hibachi)
- On Patios licences and patio footprints:
- Given that the fees are waived this year, a few that did not usually have patios thought that perhaps they would apply for a patio licence this year: ex. Cinta Ria, Co-Pain, Garden House
- Others said that even with the fees being waived, they would not be applying. (about 10 establishments) – Comments: present situation is not safe; or not enough space for a patio, construction
- Those that would or have applied for licences said that they would be interested in increasing their patio footprint in front of building facades to increase seating capacity.
- On the question of the use of public spaces to increase seating capacity – in general it was well
received by the eating establishments.
- Especially for the ones offering take out
- As long as Health and safety guidelines were in place
- A few said it wouldn’t affect them
We also conducted a second Survey to all the other downtown businesses to obtain responses as to whether they were in favour of having patios extended in front of their establishment for this summer season. We heard from businesses on Main, St. George and side streets (32 respondents).
- 69% of the respondents had no objections to patios being extended in front of their
establishments.
Comments:
- Love the idea b. Anything to assist our failing economy which is small business related mostly! c. In favour to increase patio footprint even if it means giving up parking spots d. Access to Main Street cannot be removed.
- Of the ‘No” respondents:
Comments:
- Each business needs an unobstructed view of Street traffic. All businesses are equal
Downtown. Increasing Street traffic will increase visuals for each establishment. b. This would be inconvenient to tenants. c. We see possible security issues. d. Our business is health care; we would not want people eating and drinking nearby. e. For Retail – would block our store front
- On the question of the closure of Downing Street below the Delta exit to expand café and
sidewalk patios – to make it a pedestrian corridor, add tables and chairs for seating; 84% of the respondents were in favour of this option.
- However, a significant objection to closing downing street was that there are no public washrooms available in the area and with surrounding buildings limiting traffic inside their buildings during the pandemic, the public washroom issue would have to be addressed.
- Other issues included proper seating, esthetics, the maintenance of the tables and chairs, disinfecting, cleaning of food court.
- As well, the increased vagrancy, makeshift housing and homeless sleeping in parking lots and under buildings in the downtown is getting out of hand. In 30 days we will not have businesses in the downtown. It’s being taken over by the homeless.
- On the question of using public spaces and green spaces to create “food courts” for takeout
dining. Examples cited were Bore Park; Riverfront Park; Avenir Centre Oval; Oak Lane; Robinson Court); 84% of the respondents were in favour of this option.
Comments:
- Opportunity to have Moncton downtown be a happening place b. Excellent initiative. Will bring a new dynamic –Theatre Escaouette would be ready to
offer activities in these places to animate them. (Serait pret à proposer des activités dans ces lieux pour les animer. c. Will help the urbanization of Moncton – this will attract more people to the downtown.
They might bring a lunch but afterwards grab dessert at the café and pop into a shop and stop by to see their real estate agent, banker, lawyer while they happen to be downtown. d. Let’s do this for our businesses, our restaurateurs, our makers and each other.
Cautions: e. As long as this is not blocking access for office buildings. f. Would have to be esthetically inviting – lights, nice tables, etc.
Other ideas from respondents:
– Want to see Main Street a one way and the other lane mostly parking. – The closure of Orange Lane and to create a huge patio to be shared by adjacent businesses,
the Pump House, Timber Lounge, Clos, Tai Saigon. – Option to move Main Street to a one-way street, with bidirectional bike lane, and expand
patios.
To conclude:
– Our business association wants to see all businesses reopen in the downtown, and this summer will be all about increased seating capacity for our eating establishments. – We want to ensure that on-street parking is maintained for the restaurants that will continue to
provide take out service. – DMCI supports the options of increasing patio footprints along the facades of downtown
businesses with the caveat that the patio does not cut off access to an existing business and that it is a mutual arrangement with adjacent businesses.
– We support the use of public spaces to create increased seating capacity for restaurants and bars. We do, however, caution that this poses certain challenges such as sanitation, after hours security, maintenance & staffing. – We do not support the closure of Main Street.
I will leave you with a quote from Paul Lewis, professor in urban development from the Université de Montréal that appeared in l’Acadie Nouvelle of May 23rd.
« Beaucoup de projets de rues piétonnes lancés entre les années 1960 et 1980 en Amérique du Nord ont échoué. La rue Sparks à Ottawa n’a jamais fonctionné, illustre-t-il. Avant des boutiques chics se trouvaient là. Maintenant, c’est le vide commercial. »
Translation:
“Many pedestrian projects launched between the 1960s and 1980s in North America have failed. Sparks Street in Ottawa never worked, he says. Before, chic shops were there. Now it’s the commercial vacuum.”
Anne Poirier Basque Executive Director Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc.
