Open-Air Dining Is Back On The Table In Phoenixville

PHOENIXVILLE, PA —Phoenixville residents provided mixed reactions this week to the closing of the 100 and 200 blocks of Bridge Street to vehicle traffic to provide a pedestrian-only, street-fair-like experience.

Some Phoenixville residents complained that closing Bridge Street from May to October is hampering business and causing parking problems.

But others said they love Open-Air Dining with the streets so they can enjoy time with family and friends without the traffic.

Keeley Rigley, a resident and business owner, summed it up.

"Some residents love it and others hate it," Rigley said. “There is room for compromise.”

In October of 2022, the council voted unanimously to bring back Open-Air Dining from the end of May through Oct. 9.

The borough’s Park and Recreation Committee plans to discuss the Open-Air dining at a 6 p.m. meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Petition to scale road closures back

A small business owner presented the council with a petition signed by 55 business owners calling for an end to closing Bridge Street every weekend from the end of May to the beginning of October.

Susan Meadows, owner of a toy store in the borough, said the group supports closing for special events for one weekend a month or to close Main Street on Friday and Bridge for the remainder of the weekend.

“The closures have a negative impact on our businesses,” she said. “It has removed much of the parking with its access to businesses.”

Meadows questioned what would happen if the businesses closed.

But Sarah Howell, a resident and small business owner, said she loves the outdoor dining program with the streets closed.

“The lack of cars allows us to have a significantly more pleasant experience on these weekends,” she said. “The smell of exhaust pollution is gone. It’s a beautiful highlight of what Phoenixville has to offer.”

Chris McKay, a resident of Mont Clare, added that closing the street is great for bringing children to the borough.

John Keenan, president of the Historic Society of Phoenixville, said the closure has reduced the number of visitors to the borough.

Keenan suggested that the borough take a poll during the Spring 2024 election as a voter referendum.