Windsor is encouraging more businesses to jump on the sidewalk patio bandwagon.
For just $1, restaurants, bars and cafes will now be allowed to set up patios all year round for the next four years, thanks to a decision by city council.
Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association Chair Larry Horowitz expects more businesses to invest in patios now that the city is committed. "We now have 11 patios that have jumped on board. They've bought couches and chairs, and they want to go to the next level. They want to reinvest in the downtown and throughout the city. They've put in pizza ovens, while some are looking at outdoor heaters and couches -- different ways of creating business."
The City of Windsor has run pilot projects over the last two years to test the viability of year-round patios.