Making space for people to eat outside during the COVID-19 pandemic was the project of the Outdoor Dining Committee of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group.
The pilot program for Fuel and Skillet Café was named the Project of the Year for the CDG.
“2020 was a tough year on all of us, and especially for many of our uptown businesses due to derecho and the pandemic,” said Rich Herrmann, chair of the Outdoor Dining Committee. “It feels very gratifying for the committee to be recognized for this award.
“It solidifies the fact that when people come together for a common purpose, good things can happen.”
The Outdoor Dining Committee that developed the pilot project had roughly 10 members, including business owners, CDG volunteers and representatives from the city.
The project was developed to help people be able to consume food and beverages in front of Fuel and Skillet Café to help provide a way to combat isolation and gain back some sense of normalcy as a safe gathering spot.
“So many other cities across the United States have done similar things, so it was time for Mount Vernon to provide outdoor seating for all to enjoy,” Herrmann said.
Herrmann said after the initial success with the pilot project in 2020, the group worked to expand outdoor seating in 2021. That expanded the committee to 20 people and included more business owners and a closer partnership with the city.
“It’s been a great joy to work with so many talented and passionate people on both projects,” Herrmann said. “There were many great ideas and lots of Zoom calls (which started in January) to develop a plan.”
Herrmann noted the biggest challenges were found in the second project and allowing consumption of alcohol in that space.
“That introduced a wide range of very specific guidelines and ordinances from both the city and state, including insurance policies, which made the entire project more complex,” Herrmann said.
The group had initially looked into both street and sidewalk seating for the second venture. Most the business owners preferred sidewalk seating due to the ease of serving and limited expenses for outdoor furniture. The committee couldn’t find a solution to allow sidewalk seating this year.
Herrmann noted that in the future, the committee would like to continue working with business owners and the city on creative ways to provide outdoor seating for customers.
“Our hope is that providing more outdoor seating is another way to keep Uptown Mount Vernon vibrant, by providing visitors and residents with fun dining options, which should translate into increased traffic for all other businesses,” Herrmann said. “Outdoor seating also brings a sense of community and gathering, which in today’s world is sorely needed.”
Committee of the year created outdoor dining space
August 19, 2021
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.