A City of Moncton internal working group is exploring new ideas to enhance the downtown this summer amid the pandemic.
Ideas include closing down a portion of Main Street, allowing sidewalk patios to expand and closing Downing Street to traffic to create a food court.
Downtown Moncton Centreville Inc. executive director Anne Poirier Basque says her organization is not in favour of closing any portion of Main Street.
“We need accessibility to our businesses. We need vitality more than ever on our sidewalks because the summer events and festivals are not going to occur,” she says.
Poirier Basque says DMCI has been pushing to move events away from Main Street to the riverfront in recent years.
Councillor Greg Turner, who has spent nearly 50 years working and living downtown, says closing part of Main Street is not a viable option.
“Whenever you do something like that it really disrupts the normal flow of traffic. It really is a bit of a deterrent unless you have a major event or activity going on,” he notes.
Earlier this spring, Moncton council opted to waive fees for businesses who want to set up sidewalk patios this summer.
