When COVID-19 made indoor dining an impossibility, the city of Orlando did what many cities around the world did: opened up outdoor dining options. Parklets — that is, outdoor dining areas made up of on-street parking spaces — gave customers the option to enjoy a meal away from home while restrictions were in place.
The parklets were a hit by and large, though their future in a post-pandemic(ish) world is uncertain. The city is considering giving the ad hoc dining space a more permanent position in Orlando’s eateries.
On July 19, the city council will consider a three-year program for parklets in the downtown Community Redevelopment Area. That area stretches roughly from Lake Ivanhoe to West Gore Street, and South Westmoreland Drive to North Summerlin Avenue.
If approved, the parklets would be in permanent on-street parking locations where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour or lower.
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This article appears in Jul 14-20, 2021.