NCC construction to cut patio season short for courtyard restaurants in ByWard Market

Some restaurant owners in the ByWard Market are concerned about the financial impacts of a construction project that will force their patios to close early this summer.

The National Capital Commission is undertaking work in the Clarendon Lane Courtyard on Sussex Dr. that it says will eliminate tripping hazards, improve universal access, update the storm water management system and preserve heritage elements.

The work is expected to begin in mid-August, the Crown corporation said in a statement.

"We made significant adjustments to the construction plans and timelines to reduce disruptions to this patio season and the 2026 patio season, but the fact remains that this type of work can only be done during a certain time of the year," wrote spokesperson Benoît Desjardins.

All tenant entrances will be accessible and highly visible with increased signage during construction, Desjardins added. 

For restaurant operators, that's not much of a consolation at a time of year they say comes with high demand for outdoor dining.

David Godsoe is director of food and beverage operations with E18hteen Hospitality Group, which operates five restaurants in the market. 

"That middle of August to the middle of September ... is basically one of our busiest periods of the year, if not our busiest period of the year," he said. "We really rely on that revenue to carry us through January, February, March, when, you know, the city becomes a bit of a ghost town."

He's also concerned about what impact the work will have on indoor restaurant traffic.

"Once you start a construction project, that tends to be a bit of a deterrent for guests," Godsoe said. "So, it's not like just because we lose these seats any patrons that we were going to get are just gonna magically go inside. They might avoid the market altogether."

A 'shock' to restaurant operators

The NCC's decision to close the courtyard patios came with little consultation, some restaurant operators say.

"We got the notice a couple of weeks ago," said Vish Tyagi, general manager of Beyond the Pale Brewing Company. "Obviously, it was a bit of a shock to us."

Tyagi says he was told by the NCC to pack up the restaurant's patio by August 11. 

Since the brewery's ByWard Market location is nestled in the courtyard without a storefront on a nearby street, Tyagi expects the patio closure will make it harder for people to find the restaurant and figure out whether it's open.

"We're aware that there's going to be some challenges getting people into our door," he said. "We're more of a destination spot than we are a place that someone walks by and happens upon, right? You have to know we're here."

Other restaurants are already making tough decisions in response to their patio season being cut short.

Moe Alameddine owns Dark Fork, a restaurant offering dine-in-the-dark experiences indoors and silent dining outside.

It employs deaf and hard-of-hearing waitstaff to take orders on the patio using sign language. But, with the patio shutting down in a few weeks, those workers will be laid off.

"You should see the tears in their eyes when I told them," he said. "It's sad, it's very sad."

Work to be completed in time for next patio season: NCC

The restaurant operators whose businesses back onto the courtyard say they understand why upgrades are needed, but they wish they were given more timely information about the patio closures and what the courtyard redesign will eventually look like.

Alameddine says he contacted the NCC asking for construction work to be delayed until the fall to lessen the financial impact on businesses.

"It's a big project, but we asked them if you can just like delay it only one more month to save the jobs, to save our season," he said.

In its statement to CBC, the NCC said while it understands the challenge the repairs pose, delaying the start of the work would only compromise next year's patio season. Construction in the courtyard is expected to be done next spring.