Organizers brand it as an attempt to make an iconic Toronto strip come alive. The month-long experiment, put on by the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, called Celebrate Yonge takes two of the four lanes, between Queen and Gerrard streets, and hands sections over to pedestrians, with plastic Muskoka chairs, picnic tables, restaurant patios and interactive zones. The Posts Natalie Alcoba takes a stroll.

Talking up Yonge Ten days into the festival, and local councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam is pleased. I dont think Toronto has said so many positive things about Yonge Street in a very long time, she said Tuesday. Early observations from the BIA indicate the pedestrian count is up, and vehicle count is down, said Ms. Wong-Tam. She said consultants will be measuring vehicle volume, rather than speed, on a narrower Yonge, and how traffic patterns are affected. I think those who are looking for flaws in the festival will find them, she said, but the road is functioning better I think for most users.

Good for business Celebrate Yonge will also measure its success based on sales, the media response and public feedback. The best way to revitalize any commercial area is to change the experience for those who are coming to visit, said Ms. Wong-Tam. Her feedback says it has been good for business: restaurants with patio extensions report a bump in revenue two to three-fold, she said. Keshev Kulkarni, a host at The Pickle Barrel, attests to a jump; David Stansbury, a manager at Adult Novelty and Video, said his store is busier, too. It gives a little more personality to Yonge Street, said Mr. Kulkarni.

Depends on who you ask Not everyone is smitten with the event, however. That patio thing is only good for the restaurants, Ahmed Patel, proprietor of the Toronto Sports Shoppe, said last week. He usually sees a panhandler by his shop every day. This morning I saw him collecting money on the street settled in a Muskoka chair he said. His wife, Hafsa Patel, disagreed. She likes the new feeling on the street. My granddaughter, when she went to England for the first time I asked her what did you like about London. And she said, you know, they closed off the street and we could walk around. Thats the only thing she told me.

Not about selling One retailer who did not want to give his name was disappointed he could not claim some of the real estate in front of the store to sell products. Abigail Gamble, a spokesperson for the Downtown Yonge BIA, said it did not want this event to become about selling. Its about experiencing the street and creating new public spaces, like ING Directs urban park, with real grass, logs and trees. Thats the woodsy scene that Amanda Confalone came upon on her lunch break. Its a nice little retreat. Its a great little people watching area, which is always fun in Toronto, she said.

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‘Celebrate Yonge’ experiment getting – mostly – positive reviews so far

An advocacy group for people with disabilities is pushing to make Montreal's patios more wheelchair accessible.

Linda Gauthier, president of the Regroupement Activistes Pour l'Inclusion Qubec, or RAPLIQ, said Tuesday that most of Montreal's restaurant and bar terrasses are still inaccessible to wheelchairs.

"It's exactly the same thing that if there would be a black person they would tell him, 'You're not allowed on my terrasse because of your colour.' It's discrimination," Gauthier said.

An increase in the number of installations on sidewalks during the summer is also making it difficult to get into stores, she said.

"What was accessible for us like some stores, before, because of all the terrasses on the sidewalks, we cannot access it anymore."

Even those stores that can be navigated to are often inaccessible to wheelchairs, she said.

The city's Southwest borough is one of two with regulations forcing business owners to make their facilities wheelchair-accessible.

Vronique Fournier, a city councillor for the borough, said accessibility will become increasingly important over the next few years.

"We're going to be in an aging society in Quebec, and this issue will be very important in Montreal," Fournier said. "When you can go on a terrasse in a borough but on another one you cannot go, it doesn't make sense. If you want universal accessibility, it should be on all the territory of the city of Montreal."

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Group pushes for wheelchair access to patios

Patio lovers have reason to celebrate now that two lanes of downtown Yonge Street have been blocked off for the month-long Celebrate Yonge festival.

The event, which has closed one lane of Yonge in each direction between Queen and Gerrard streets, kicked off Friday. Patios, planters and Muskoka chairs have taken up those north and southbound lanes.

Local councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam said the six-alarm fire that gutted a heritage building at Yonge and Gould streets on Jan. 3, 2011 started a conversation with urban planners, architects and others on how to beautify the downtown stretch of the iconic street.

Its all about creating a brand new experience and celebrating the street, Wong-Tam said.

There are a lot of things for people to do.

Bars on the strip will be licensed to serve alcohol on the temporary street patios.

Landscapers will compete in the Livegreen planter box contest on Aug. 23. Breakfast Televisions Frank Ferragine is one of the judges.

The Yonge Street festival coincides with other major events in Toronto, including the Canadian National Exhibition, the Toronto International Film Festival and Brazilian Day Canada. It wraps up Sept. 16.

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Celebrate Yonge festival kicks off, closing downtown lanes

Great news for downtown patio enthusiasts, bad news for downtown drivers: Yonge Street is reduced to one lane in each direction for a month-long festival.

Preparations are underway for the Celebrate Yonge festival that starts on Friday and runs until Sept. 16.

"This is the beginning of a conversation on how do we actually make Yonge Street the main street of Ontario and Canada," local Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam said.

The removal of a lane of traffic north and southbound was done to increase public space between Queen and Gerrard streets, creating more room for patios, open seating areas and cafes.

Bars on the strip will be licenced to serve alcohol on the temporary street patios.

"We're going to see a row of temporary planters to section off pedestrians from vehicle traffic," Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area spokesman Abigail Gamble said.

Wong-Tam and the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area are behind the event.

The Yonge Street festival coincides with other major events in Toronto, including the Canadian National Exhibition, the Toronto International Film Festival and Brazilian Day Canada.

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Downtown Yonge St. down to 1 lane each way for month-long festival

After a hearing in Peoria last week, an Illinois Senate committee has directed the Department of Public Health (DPH) to write official rules about smoking in outdoor restaurant patios and bar beer gardens.

The hearing was prompted by an incident in which many Peoria-area bars and patrons received smoking tickets for violating the Smoke Free Illinois Act when they thought they were in compliance with the law. In at least one case, the bar owners had explicitly sought the advice of DPH before they started construction on their beer garden.

We really need to clarify rules for the police, as well as restaurant and bar owners, said Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, who has taken a lead role in pushing the issue to the forefront. We cant have Public Health telling bar owners one thing and the police enforcing another. Thats just not fair for anyone.

Koehler joined Sens. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, Linda Holmes, D-Aurora, Pam Althoff, R-Crystal Lake, and Ed Maloney, D-Chicago, to write a letter to DPH asking them to address the issue. The letter also included a copy of Senate Bill 842, which Koehler drafted with the help of Peoria States Attorney Jerry Brady. The legislation lays out what Koehler and Brady believe is a reasonable framework for enforcing the Smoke Free Illinois Act in outdoor areas.

The purpose of the smoking ban was to protect people especially employees from second-hand smoke, Koehler explained. When people are outside, theres enough ventilation that second-hand smoke isnt nearly as big an issue, so patios and beer gardens give restaurants and bars a way to cater to smoking patrons without inconveniencing others.

The proposed framework clarifies that smoking is allowed outdoors as long as smokers stay at least 15 feet away from doors and open windows and either the roof or one or more walls are open to fresh air. It also requires employers to allow their workers to opt out of working in areas where people might be smoking.

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Senate committee directs IDPH to write rules for beer gardens

It may not be the most environmentally correct thing to admit, but I like concrete. I like smooth concrete driveways, raised patios and winding paths that take me where I want to go without worry about fire ants stinging my toes.

Twenty-one years ago, when we built our house, we surrounded it with concrete sidewalks. Back then, we were young, our four children were little and everyone in the family except the baby was learning or already knew how to ride unicycles. Riding a unicycle is difficult enough without having to deal with the bumps and ruts of open ground so Ralph and I agreed to install sidewalks thinking they'd be the perfect place in our predominantly unpaved, rural locale, to practice our circus skills.

For a short while, that's exactly what we did. However, as time went by, other interests took hold and our collection of one-wheeled cycles spent more time hanging from hooks in the garage than they did supporting the bodies of eager riders.

Nonetheless, our concrete pathways continued to get use. Every day we walk down them to tend to vegetable, flower and herb gardens planted in between the sidewalks and the house. They make a stable platform for a chair when I'm cutting my husband's hair and when our grandson comes over to visit, the concrete slab in front of the garage is an ideal surface to draw upon with colored chalk.

Still, I wanted more.

"What do you think about putting in a walkway to the lake?" I would periodically ask my husband in my most fetching voice. "Don't you think that would be a good project?"

His noncommittal response was always, "It would be a project, that's for sure."

We repeated this dialogue so often over the years it was as if our comments were etched in stone or, as I preferred to imagine, in concrete.

He'd say: "I don't know why we need a concrete path. I like walking over the grass."

At which point I'd reply: "Well, I don't. I'm the one who gets bit by ants, not you, and I don't want ant bites. I want a concrete sidewalk!"

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Concrete walkways provide comfortable way to enjoy nature

SALEM In the dog days of summer, canines are being welcomed back to outdoor dining areas in the city of Salem.

The Salem Health Department has established a variance process that will allow restaurants to have dogs on outdoor patios as long as certain rules are obeyed.

I think its a happy compromise, said Health Agent Larry Ramdin.

As of yesterday, several restaurants were applying for variances in the hope of opening their patios to dogs this weekend.

Its too bad it had to be canceled for a while, but Im thrilled its back, said Steve Feldmann, the owner of Gulu-Gulu Cafe. Its a good thing for the city.

Notices went out last month banning dogs in outdoor dining areas after the health department received complaints. Ramdin said he was only enforcing the food safety regulations within the state health code, which prohibit animals in restaurants.

Under the variances, dogs will be allowed as long as restaurants enforce a number of health and safety rules.

The variance applies only to dogs, not other pets.

Ramdin said his staff researched the issue and found that state regulations do not allow dogs in outdoor dining areas. Where it was happening, Ramdin said it was being permitted in spite of the state health code.

The health agent said he checked with the town of Swampscott, a local community that has a similar variance procedure.

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Dogs back at dining tables

LONG BEACH - Dogs may soon make the jump from the sidewalk to outdoor restaurant patios in Long Beach.

On Tuesday, the City Council will consider changes to city code that would give restaurant operators the option to allow canine companions at outdoor patios where food is served.

Councilman Robert Garcia introduced legislation in April asking Department of Health and Human Services staff to draft new regulations permitting dogs to join their owners who are dining outside.

The request follows similar policies adopted by Marin County, Santa Barbara County, Monterey County and, in December, Los Angeles County.

Restaurants won't be forced to accommodate pet dog owners under the proposed rules, which only apply to outdoor areas and will require a separate outside entrance to a dining patio.

"All we're doing is creating an additional option for business owners," Garcia said.

Garcia's initial measure was co-sponsored by Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and Councilman Gary DeLong.

The policy was developed with input from several business and community groups. It would be implemented immediately, if passed.

Expanded citations collection

The council is also expected on Tuesday to renew its contract with its parking citations collections vendor - with enhancements that include reporting those with delinquent tickets to credit bureaus.

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Long Beach restaurants may soon welcome dogs

Restaurant owners and diners are calling on the City of Edmonton to make it easier for businesses to set up outdoor patios.

A little bit over a year now that we've tried to get the patio, said Daniel Braun, owner of Tres Carnales Taqueria on Rice Howard Way.

We were really hopeful that we would get it for this summer but unfortunately it didn't.

Braun said he was originally supposed to get a decision on putting a patio on the sidewalk outside his restaurant in May. That date was pushed back to June and then eventually into September.

Its a frustration that is shared by other business owners.

Gill Tataev, who opened his Crepe Symphony Cafe on the same street, was well aware of the difficulties in getting a patio when he opened his business four months ago.

After I heard what they went through it kind of discouraged me to even try, he said.

Customers are also complaining about the long wait for patios.

Friday night, some of Brauns regulars set up lawn chairs on Rice Howard Way, creating their own patios outside the restaurant to protest the citys approach.

We'd really just like to bring this issue to the forefront. Strike while the iron is hot, said Leslie Bush, who helped organize the protest.

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Restaurants fed up with patio process

It's finally warm enough to enjoy dinner al fresco! Try any of these tucked-away spots.

The Pink Door This sun-dappled Post Alley patio is at the top of our summer checklist. With colorful floral tablecloths and hanging flowerpots, it's always, always bustling on summer days and warm night, and the view of Elliott Bay is matched only by the good vibes. To eat: antipasti, Bloody Marys and simple pastas made with fresh-from-the-market produce...perfection! >> Pike Place Market, 1919 Post Alley; 206.443.3241; thepinkdoor.net

Ponti Seafood Grill Situated just above the ship canal and strung with white lights at night, this longtime favorite patio with linen-clothed tables is romantic and secluded. During the day, watch boaters pass by while you catch some rays and nosh on pan-Asian dishesahi tuna poke, five-spice-cured black codjust right for hot weather. >> Queen Anne, 3014 Third Ave. N; 206.284.3000; pontiseafoodgrill.com

Le Grand Bistro Amricain Offering a view well worth paying the 520 tolls for, the two decks of this French bistro are set above Kirkland's Carillon Point, where white yachts bob next to docks on sparkling Lake Washington. At sunset, the Seattle city skyline glimmers. And to boot: the best nioise salad in the city. >> Kirkland, 2220 Carillon Point; 425.828.7778; bistrolegrand.com

La Rustica A true gem, this humble, lovely Italian spot has a flower-lined patio strewn with ivy and terra cotta pots that will transport you far, far away. You can gaze out for miles over Puget Sound at wooded islands and the snow-capped peaks of the Olympics as you twirl linguine di mare (mixed seafood pasta) onto your fork (all the pastas are tasty here). In authentic Italian fashion, you can taste the love. >> West Seattle, 4100 Beach Drive SW; 206.932.3020; larusticarestaurant.com

Madison Park Conservatory When blue skies and warm evenings stretch out before us, Madison Park always comes to mind. The restaurant has a roomy patio with tree-filtered views of Lake Washington, but the real appeal is the unmatched people watching: beach-going hipsters in flip-flops, locals in their linen suits and everything in between. Don't miss the hamachi crudo with blood oranges and olives, octopus with chiles and preserved lemons (served seasonally). >> Madison Park, 1927 43rd Ave. E; 206.324.9701; madisonparkconservatory.com

Oddfellows Cafe The only view from this secret sliver of open space at the rear of Oddfellows Cafe is of the 1012 other people seated at bistro tablesbecause its literally surrounded by brick walls. But the view is still pretty good, considering, since there's rarely a style slouch in the bunch. To eat: homemade coffee cake early, cured-meat plates and Bibb lettuce salads later, with a chilled bottle of ros, of course. >> Capitol Hill, 1525 10th Ave.; 206.325.0807; oddfellowscafe.com

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Seattle Magazine: 10 of our favorite hidden restaurant patios