Pop up Patios to appear on Brant Street May 1st - expect some colour and decent dining curb side.

By Pepper Parr

March 23, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

This is a great new story.

Have you ever heard of a Pop Up Patio?

Get ready – there is going to be a patio on Brant Street that will be out on the street and occupy two parking spaces.

The City of Toronto sets out these umbrellas along the edge of the lake opposite the Toronto Islands. Something similar coming to Burlington?

It will be in place from May 1st to October 1st as a one year pilot.

The Test Kitchen – which is one of the best meal deals in town – is piloting with the city on this one.

Finally – there just might be some colour and pizazz on the street.

The idea came out of the Planning department where Jody Wellings, Special Business Area Coordinator, beavers away at making the downtown core what it could be. It has been a struggle.

Wellings is quick to point out that she can’t take credit – “the idea actually originated in San Francisco, and has been used extensively there and in NYC. More locally, St. Catherine’s, Port Credit and Barrie have all tried the concept in various forms”

The first Pop Up Patio restaurant in Burlington will be outside the Test Kirchner on Brant Kitchen. City is looking at other locations. The patio will occupy the two parking spots shown

At this point there is just the one Pop Up planned but the city seems approachable to others – and not just on Brant Street.

There will be a wooden deck patio built on the road that will be flush with the sidewalk and will extend out onto the road.

Location of the Pop Up Patio outside the Test Kitchen. Two parking spots outside the restaurant will be used – the Kitchen had to pay for the spots. The cost should be put on the tab of the Director of Finance when she shows up for lunch.

It will be fenced off – ideally with nice green shrubbery – and safe from passing traffic because there will be cars parked at each end of the patio.

It is this kind of imaginative idea that just might make Brant Street Burlington’s hub bub of a Street.

But it isn’t always good news is it?

The two parking spaces that will be unavailable for vehicles- what about the lost revenue? Not to worry the bean counters are “leasing the spaces to the Test Kitchen. Alex Mickalow will be paying leasing for seven days even though parking is free on Saturday.

Mickalow was thinking in terms of painting the wooden deck black – it tied in with his corporate colours.

Toronto took an unused wharf in the harbour, dumped several truck loads of sand and called is Sugar Beach because it was next to the Redpath sugar refinery. Close to impossible to get a deck chair. Burlington has an opportunity to open up parts of the water front even more. What would something like this look like along the pier?

Can’t do that said the city – we want a consistent look – so much for artistic expression.

What will not be bland or plain is the food – the Test Kitchen serves up a fine meal at a dynamite price with staff that aim to please and always hit the target.

Mickalow saw the Pop Up idea in Oakville – brought it back to the city last October and took it along to Brian Deans at the Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) – the two of them took it along to Jody Wellings at city hall and she got it through the various hoops.

Open May 1 – expect a line up.