Ottawa's ByWard & Parkdale Markets Are Finally Opening For The Summer On Monday

Summer is just around the corner and Ottawa is getting ready for the season. With parts of Ontario are already in the process of reopening, Ottawa's ByWard and Parkdale markets have announced they will be opening back up on Monday, June 15. Ottawa is among the many regions in Ontario heading into stage two for the provincial government's framework.

Ottawa Markets shared the news during the City Council meeting on Wednesday, June 10.

During the presentation, Ottawa Markets set a date of June 15 for reopening both the hugely popular ByWard Market and the Parkdale Market.

"The Ottawa Markets AGM is providing an update at City Council this morning. The Parkdale and Byward Markets will re-open on June 15. Physical distancing will be mandated and hand sanitizer available for all customers," reads a tweet from Ottawa City Councillor Riley Brockington.

But, of course, when they do reopen, they'll look pretty different in some ways.

According to CTV News, the markets plan to ensure social distancing is in place between vendors and customers and sanitization stations are being set up.

It was also noted that Ottawa Markets is exploring the possibility of shutting down ByWard Market Square to provide extra space and make distancing easier.

It's also working with City staff to close William Street to vehicles this summer to create a "pedestrianized area," similar to what Toronto is trying to achieve in some areas.

As detailed in Ontario's "stage two" reopening plan, Ottawa is one of many areas in the province that can now reopen a bunch more facilities.

Those include restaurant and bar patios, where it is safe and practical to do so. It's not clear yet if patios at ByWard or Parkdale will be able to open for hungry customers visiting the markets anytime soon.

The markets have already been offering a new way for Ottawa residents to purchase and pick up their local produce through the "Pick & Click" they launched back in May.

According to Ottawa Markets' presentation, they've already seen over 1100 registered customers and fulfilled over 1200 orders.

And with this method, they've garnered over $66,500 in sales for local producers in the region.

But for some restaurant owners in the markets, it hasn't been that easy.

This past weekend, The Grand Pizzeria at ByWard received a hefty fine for allowing takeout customers to sit down and eat their food on their outdoor patio instead of on the sidewalks or surrounding areas.