Outdoor patio season arrives a little late in downtown Sudbury

While construction and delayed street sweeping prevented patios in Sudbury from opening on time, officials with Downtown Sudbury say they will appear soon.

It’s patio season across the north. While construction and delayed street sweeping may have prevented patios in Sudbury from opening on time, officials with Downtown Sudbury say they will appear soon.

So far downtown, only a handful of patios have opened, but many more should be popping up in the coming days, with about 17 expected to operate this summer.

“We’ve got some new restaurants opening and we’re really excited,” said Jeff MacIntyre, Downtown Sudbury’s executive director.

“They’re just trying to get going.”

The permit program for outdoor patios began in 2016 in Sudbury, but really gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far this year, eight permits have been issued.

“We do have a streamlined process, and we’re happy to walk people through the process,” said Melissa Riou from the City of Greater Sudbury.

Has ‘its own vibe’

“So just come speak with planning services and we’d be happy to give people guidance on how to work their way through the process.”

McIntyre said the patio program has helped downtown businesses.

“It’s easier people kind of hop from, you know, the Columbia Festival over and grab lunch or beer on the patio and then come back and still enjoy the vibes,” he said.

“So the festival atmosphere has gotten a lot better downtown. We’ve seen a lot more festivals want to come downtown, and that’s a big part of it. And it’s really helping the hospitality sector kind of get its own vibe going, as well.”

While it can vary depending on the weather, Sudbury’s patio season usually runs until mid-October.