The addition of 20 picnic tables, 10 planters, and an active clean team are all aimed at making downtown 91原创 City more welcoming to pedestrians.

And it should all come into place within the next month, said Teri James, executive director of the Downtown 91原创 Business Association (DLBA).

To assist with making the City core more inviting, the DLBA has purchased heavy-duty recycled plastic picnic tables that will be installed in the downtown in August, James explained.

They were originally slated for late June delivery, but COVID has delayed all orders from back east.

In addition, the DLBA has bought what James calls 鈥渟tunning planters鈥� that will be placed around the tables to add to beautification of the area.

鈥淚t was our intention in early March, when the tables were ordered, to add more outdoor seating so people could enjoy their take-out meals along the one-way section of Fraser Highway and McBurney Plaza throughout the summer month,鈥� she said.

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鈥淲e knew we were going to have to keep the areas in and around the tables clean, and that鈥檚 where Inclusion 91原创 Society came in,鈥� James added.

Partners with Inclusion 91原创, they鈥檝e develop the 鈥淒LBA Clean Team.鈥�

Since the tables don鈥檛 arrive until next month, DLBA board chair Carole Ward said the new team will spend the next few weeks tidying up the downtown.

鈥淏eginning July 12, you will see Inclusion 91原创 Society job seekers with their supply cart and colourful DLBA Clean Team shirts throughout the downtown making sure it is tidy and litter free for our visitors,鈥� Ward said.

And then, once the tables arrive, they will shift their responsibilities to monitoring and cleaning the 20 tables three times a day, seven days a week for the months of August and September.

鈥淲e are very excited about this expanded partnership, and Inclusion 91原创 Society was instantly on board. They tailor made it so that their job seekers were available to meet our needs and for that we are very appreciative,鈥� Ward added.

There鈥檚 mutual admiration between the groups, said Tami Logan, Inclusion鈥檚 supervisor of employment services.

鈥淲e are truly appreciative of the partnership we have with the DLBA. For more than 15 years the DLBA has reached out to Inclusion 91原创 Society for dedicated and committed job seekers to ensure the downtown 91原创 area is clean and welcoming to all 91原创 citizens and visitors,鈥� Logan said.

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The plan for the foreseeable future is that the picnic tables will be anchored down and be permanent fixtures in the downtown core.

鈥淲e also want to thank the 91原创 City parks staff for working so closely with us on this project. This is another example of a great partnership,鈥� Ward concluded, noting that the 鈥渟turdy鈥� tables are made from recycled materials and will be cleaned with environmentally friendly products.