It's something a lot of bigger cities were doing prior to the pandemic; creating spaces for outdoor dining and storefronts. While Bangor had a couple of spaces where folks could eat outside, this year, it's expanding the availability of those options.

When Covid-19 hit, and closed many of the businesses across the state. Bangor had to get creative.  They City borrowed some parking spaces and even shut down a couple of side roads, to allow for businesses to create outdoor retail and eating spaces, since there were restrictions on the number of people who could be inside a business or restaurant at one time.

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Restaurants invested in outdoor furniture and even heat lamps to extend the "outside seating" season, because of course the weather in Maine can get cool quickly.

For the most part, the implementation of these outdoor areas went over well, and helped Bangor businesses survive through a difficult pandemic situation.

Capitalizing on last year's success, this year, the City has created more of these little "parklets", as they're called. While other businesses in the city made adjustments to allow for outside spaces.

According to the City of Bangor Facebook Page, "each space has been inspected and permitted" by the City's Code Enforcement Director" so everything is up to snuff, and safe.

Many of the spaces have been created using brightly colored concrete dividers. Others have been fabricated out of wood or metal fencing.

Bottom line, these parklets are a way in which businesses can offer extra spaces for folks to come and gather or eat. That gives these businesses an opportunity to make a little more money while offering those who may still be a little apprehensive about venturing inside, an option to rejoin social settings at their own comfort level.

If you have a business in Bangor, and would like to apply for a permit to create a little parklet area, here's the link to start that process.

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