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‘Parklet’ program expansion recommended in Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – You could soon have a few more places to enjoy a cold drink while soaking up some sun.

A report to Vancouver Council recommends increasing the number of public spaces with benches, tables, and landscaping.

The city already has six “parklets,” where parking spots are turned into those small public spaces. Main Street and Commercial Drive are just a couple of the existing locations.

City Councillor Heather Deal says now is the time to make them permanent, after launching them in a pilot project five years ago.

“We’ve had tremendously popular experiences with parklets. In fact, businesses find that having people sitting in a parklet brings them better business than having one car parked in that same space,” says Deal.

“So staff is coming back now, with a report recommending that we continue to expand these programs and add in some new features like… craft carts and some possible other types of patio expansion.”

That expansion would see 10 new business and pub patios approved every year over the next three years.

Patio hours will also be extended this summer, from midnight to 1am, thanks to a low number of noise complaints since 2013, when the hours were last extended.

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