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It’ll be patio heaven this summer in Burnaby, as two local breweries are getting the greenlight to expand their patios.
The City of Burnaby recently approved Dageraad Brewing and Studio Brewing for increased capacity, which will permanently extend the life of their patios which both began during COVID.
Dageraad Brewing’s “chief executive janitor” and brewer Ben Coli told the NOW his brewery has been talking about building a patio at their tasting room at 114-3191 Thunderbird Cres. (a short walk from Production Way SkyTrain station) for years, but pre-COVID it was tough to get the permits.
But during COVID, cities and the province began allowing temporary outdoor patios: “Basically, to keep us alive during COVID, when we weren’t allowed to have guests indoors,” said Coli.
As the temporary patio program comes to an end, the breweries sought a way to make the patios permanent.
After some bureaucratic hoop jumping, with a few more steps to go, both breweries’ patios were approved as permanent.
Dageraad’s occupancy will go from 50 guests to 100, with the approval of a 619 sq. ft. permanent outdoor patio with seats for 50 guests.
Coli said the increased capacity will help during the brewery’s busy periods after work.
“It’s doubling – it could make a really nice difference for our business in summertime,” Coli said, though he added he doesn’t expect to hit the 100-person capacity.
“We frequently have to have a lineup on a Friday after work, which is our busiest time, and this will just eliminate that.”
Dageraad is also planning to build a ”proper patio,” to upgrade the current setup which is made up of picnic tables in a parking lot under tents.
“We’re going to build a really nice patio, with a deck and with a wheelchair ramp, and just make a really nice, inviting outdoor space, and I’m really looking forward to that,” Coli said.
He described Dageraad as a “pretty nerdy brewery.”
“We make some pretty specific styles of beer, but we’re also trying to make the place a kind of inclusive, community space. If you’re not into that beer thing, there’s no reason why you can’t meet your friend here for a drink or for lunch,” Coli said.
He’s hoping the patio will be open in time for the brewery’s anniversary party in mid-May.
Another local brewery is now celebrating its two-year anniversary and expanding its patio.
Studio Brewing, at 5792 Beresford St., was approved to increase its occupancy from 48 patrons to 78 patrons, with seats for 30 guests on a 683 sq. ft. outdoor patio.
Morgan Miller-Sutton, Studio’s taproom manager, described the patio as “well-loved” with a great community vibe.
“It’s great because it’s right next to the bike lane, so usually I’ll roll in on my bike … and there’s a couple dozen other bikes and we’ve got lots of people sitting and enjoying drinks,” she said, adding it’s a diverse mix of people with bikers rolling in from the bike path, locals walking up on foot and people coming in on the SkyTrain (the brewery is about an eight-minute walk from Royal Oak station).
“The community loves it,” she said.
The patio expansion will mean the brewery doesn’t have to have a wait list, Miller-Sutton said.
“A lot less waiting in the rain, and a lot more happy people having a beer and a snack,” she said.
You can celebrate Studio’s two-year birthday bash on Saturday, Feb. 25 with live music from 3 to 6 p.m.
