OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. The following letters are in response to a letter regarding the scaling back of the See You on the Patio program, published April 15.
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Fans of the old comedy series Seinfeld will recall that the hapless character of George Costanza once decided that, as everything he did was wrong, if he simply did the exact opposite of what he thought he should do, everything would turn out right. And it worked.
I was reminded of this when I read about the drastic reduction of the See You on the Patio program. If only the people responsible for this had taken a leaf out of George’s book, they would actually have made the right decision.
Philip Jackman
Orillia
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I'm not at all shocked that the Downtown Orillia Management Board (DOMB) decided NOT to close the downtown streets Fridays and Saturdays from 5 until 10 p.m. Disappinted, yes. Confused, Yes.
Locals and tourists love the streets being alive with people. The board knows this, but doesn't care. Most businesses on the main street close at 4 or 5 p.m. anyway, so why would they care? Trust me when I say this as I was on the board for three years.
They say that it was over 50% to keep the street open. Show us the votes, because usually they send out emails and maybe 10 per cent of the businesses respond. Ask restaurant owners. Ask tourists, boaters and locals if they want it shut for the two evenings and your answer would be yes.
Someone has to step in here. The money some of the restaurants spend on tables and chairs and barriers just to be used once or twice is a kick in the butt to them.
Come on people, speak up! You have got to question this.
Rick Sinotte (former board member and store owner downtown Orillia)
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It really doesn’t make sense to me that if something was working very well and was very popular for people in the area that the Downtown Management Board would want it scaled back to a few selective times during the summer.
Especially when those people who voted it down were not open anyway, spoiling it not only for the restaurant owners ,but for those that that attended as well.
It seems that in Orillia, if something works, they find a way to end its success.
Lynda Clifford
Orillia
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I have lived in Orillia since 1990. My wife and I are both retired and friends from the city often come for visit. We would go downtown and everyone enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere in Orillia.
Now the DOMB has made a terrible decision.
Did they not offer a survey for the citizens to offer options?
A real disgrace for our city!
Bring back our patios please!
Bill Brown
Orillia
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