LEBANON — Outdoor dining at downtown restaurants — which began as a response to limits on indoor gatherings in the early days of the pandemic — is back for another season even as COVID-19 restrictions are increasingly a thing of the past.
“I don’t see it changing anytime soon,” City Manager Shaun Mulholland said on Tuesday. “It’s been very popular with the public.”
Mulholland said the city has made a concerted effort to work with restaurant owners to expand and improve outdoor dining around the downtown pedestrian mall.
“When the pandemic struck, we had about one week,” to get a plan together to “allow people to experience some summer life as we’re used to,” Mulholland said. “It’s just grown from there.”
Court Street will remain closed to vehicles through November to accommodate a tent for outdoor seating at Three Tomatoes Trattoria.
Other outdoor seating will return to the mall next to Three Tomatoes, as well as in the diagonal parking spaces in front of Salt Hill Pub.
The businesses put up the tents and the decorative planters blocking off the south end of Court Street, and the parking area along West Park Street will be installed again this year.
Mulholland said the restaurants have signed contracts to allow the additional seating, which is something the city will consider allowing restaurants to do anywhere it is feasible.
At the other end of the mall, Lalo’s Taqueria will have outdoor seating, and Village Pizza may as well.
The Lebanon Opera House also is considering using the walkway next to its building for outdoor seating during intermission.
Earlier this month, the City Council approved the serving of alcohol on city property, including the Opera House and the area outside Lalo’s.
“It’s to add to the experience and maximize the use of outdoor space, which we’re encouraging them to do,” Mulholland told the council at its April 20 meeting. “I’ve been encouraging the (businesses) to think more broadly in being able to use the outdoor spaces.”
Mulholland told the council he was excited Lalo’s wanted to participate again.
“This will help to liven up that other end of the mall,” Mulholland said. “People like to be outside. We’ve got a new mall that has been renovated.”
The applicant, Nick Yager of Lalo’s, told the council the eatery planned to have the same four tables in a fenced area.
“It’s a nice little addition,” Yager said. “We had a total of 16 seats and people really seemed to enjoy it. Nothing but positivity the whole time.”
The city has continued to improve the downtown area.
As part of that effort, city workers are completing a lighting and sidewalk project around the intersection of Park and Court streets at the northwest corner of Colburn Park.
Everett Hammond, assistant public works director, said the city is finishing up sidewalk improvements on North Park and West Park streets as well as Court Street.
And 11 lights — some new and some refurbished — will be installed along the three streets. Hammond said the new LED light heads are dark-sky friendly yet bright and efficient.
Work is scheduled to be completed next week.
The town is also currently working to beautify islands and medians in the square.
The city added water lines last year so this year grass, flowers and plants can be added to those patches and businesses will be paying for it and, in some cases, providing employees to maintain them.
“We’re hoping to try to get it done just before Memorial Day,” Mulholland said. “We’re making concerted efforts to revitalize our downtown area and help people utilize the outdoor spaces. We’re trying to make it a more enjoyable place to be.”
Darren Marcy can be reached at dmarcy@vnews.com or 802-291-4992.