Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2020 2:03 PM
Subject: Thank you from Via Italia BIA
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September 24, 2020
Dear Mayor Dilkens and City Councillors,
We are writing today to thank you for the gracious support for the Via Italia (Erie Street) BIA to operate with extended patios and street closures throughout the summer of 2020. It was a terrific success that could not have been achieved without your permissions granted.
Business owners took advantage of the wonderful opportunity and were able to recoup some of what was lost during the Covid-19 shutdowns by operating with extended patios and sidewalk sales. We are thrilled to be able to say that we had a successful summer without any negative incidences, and with the assistance of you and council, the health unit, the SERT team, and fire and police departments, we felt assured that we had support in all areas and at all times.
Being able to re-open and extend our businesses onto the street to become a pedestrian haven was a wonderful opportunity for the community to unite in a healthy, safe, and comfortable manner. It was a delight to see such things as families with their children out to get a gelato while on a stroll, and couples out for dinner celebrating milestones. Health and safety precautions and guidelines were strictly maintained throughout by both the public and by business staff; by allowing more people to sit outside, it helped to put them at ease and to have respite for a while.