Cenotaph Park is Enderby’s newest dining hub, thanks to an assist from one of the city’s most popular tourist destination.
Riverside RV Park and Campground has been busy booking its remaining camp sites ahead of May long weekend, but recently found the time to support local businesses by providing picnic tables for outdoor dining use.
“In support of our wonderful restaurants’ outdoor dining requirement, we temporarily added a bunch of picnic tables to Cenotaph Park and Belvedere Park, courtesy of our friends over at Riverside RV Park Enderby!” the city said in a Facebook post Friday (April 23).
“Now even more people can enjoy dining out in one of our scenic parks, picnic style.”
Restaurants, pubs and other eateries aren’t able to host indoor guests until May 25 under the province’s current COVID-19 public health orders.
Takeshi Bensho heard about the picnic tables a couple days ago. He owns the Kaze Japanese restaurant beside Cenotaph Park, but the dining room has been closed for almost a year due to COVID-19.
Fortunately, closing indoor dining hasn’t been too much of a problem business-wise for Bensho.
“My business is busier than before,” he said. “It’s surprising.”
Bensho believes that’s because, as one of Enderby’s relatively few restaurants, he’s getting more take-out orders from locals who would normally go to Vernon or Salmon Arm to eat out.
Other local restaurants like the Small Axe Roadhouse and Country Coffee House have been making ample use of their patio spaces. The popular riverside Small Axe pub and restaurant also shared some exciting news online earlier this month: they’ve upgraded from having two beer taps to 12.
“We’re doing our best to bring in lots of tasty craft beers from all over B.C. for you to enjoy,” the restaurant said on Facebook.
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