Dearborn, Downtown Authorities Provide Funding For Outdoor Equipment To Assist Restaurants

Press release from the City of Dearborn:

The City of Dearborn, under the direction of Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr., has been making every effort to allow restaurants to have safer and more public health-informed dining opportunities.

To that end, the City has recently pursued the rental or purchase of tents, heaters, lighting and other equipment for restaurants to create and maintain outdoor dining areas as a way to mitigate the negative economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This allows restaurant-goers to enjoy a meal from their favorite restaurant while reducing the potential spread of the virus.

Although not in operation yet as of Feb. 1, outdoor heated tents where individuals will be able to sit and enjoy a carryout meal from nearby restaurants are at the following locations:• West Village Drive near Wagner Place• Michigan Avenue and Howard Street, in city-owned greenspace directly next to Biergarten• West Village Commons Plaza• Monroe Street and Michigan Avenue

A request for $200,000 for this equipment was approved by City Council during a special meeting on Dec. 30.

More locations across the city are anticipated in the future.

In addition, the West Dearborn Downtown Development Authority and the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority approved funds to provide “igloo” type of outdoor seating and “greenhouse” type of outdoor seating for authorized use by restaurants in the downtowns along Michigan Avenue.

The city’s initiative for tents, heaters and lighting is also supported by the Warren Avenue and Dix-Vernor Corridor Authorities, the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce and the American Arab Chambers of Commerce, as well as the two Downtown Development Authorities.

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This press release was produced by the City of Dearborn. The views expressed here are the author’s own.