Chamber To Add Patio Parklet To Downtown Patio Initiative

“The Chamber is supporting positive change for the Downtown,” Heather Bergdahl office administrator for the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce said.

Bergdahl was appearing before Council - filling in for Rob Clark the Chamber’s CEO who was unavailable due to a family emergency - where she had requested the City to allow the Chamber to place a public box parklet in the Downtown for use by a business.

The Chamber is taking the move to assist the drive for pop up patios in the Downtown core something she had told Council had received limited applications for so far.

“With limited pop up (patio) applications” the Chamber wanted to help encourage businesses to participate and make it possible,” she told Council.

An example of a patio parklet - photo courtesy City of Moose Jaw

Speaking to MJ Independent, immediately following her presentation to Council, Bergdahl said the parklet is the Chamber’s way of not only showing support for the pop up patio initiative but also a way to actually put their own money out to support the initiative.

“Apparently there wasn’t enough organizations applying for it. This might give businesses a different idea what a pop up patio can look like. How it can assist their businesses by having a patio.”

“The pop up patio is already a (converted) sea can (container) that will have outdoor space to have seating in it,” she said.

In the first year of its operation the parklet will be free to a local Downtown business with a draw as to which business will receive it. Insurance will be covered by the Chamber. With the entire cost of the initiative will be paid for by the Chamber and it is not affiliated with the Downtown business group.

“It will always be free to be placed in front of businesses,” she said, adding the Chamber sees great potential in the pop up patio initiative to help the Downtown restaurants create an inviting space and make the Downtown a more vibrant part of the community.

She said she was unaware of the cost of the initiative - as she had been asked to attend Council on short notice - so asked not to be quoted on it.

The parklet has yet to be built because the Chamber was waiting to receive approval from the City first before building it. The parklet should take about a couple of weeks to be built.

Additionally the Chamber will check with nearby businesses if they have any objections before they place the parklet in the Downtown core.

Although she had no statistics to prove it Bergdahl when asked about safety said “it will probably be safer.”

Recently the Downtown Moose Jaw Association Inc requested the City to reduce the speed limit on Main Street - from Manitoba Street to Oxford Street - from 50 km/hr to 40 km/hr to add additional safety to the Downtown. The request was denied.

“It is part of our shop local campaign,” she said.

The Chamber has been aggressively marketing the benefits of shopping local during the pandemic as a means to ensure the long term viability for businesses. The initiatives include Ding Dong Dash, the Big Give, plus going out and featuring individual businesses in video Facebook features.

Bergdahl said the Chamber is hopeful that other organizations in the community create their own patio parklets for Downtown businesses to access.

Council voted unanimously to the Chamber’s request.