A rare positive incarnation to come out of the coronavirus pandemic is the success of outdoor dining in Toms River’s downtown area.
The Downtown Toms River Business Improvement District worked to create a new outdoor dining program over the summer to spur business in the struggling restaurant industry. Washington Street, a county road, was closed on Friday and Saturday evenings to allow restaurant patrons to dine outdoors. What was an emergency measure became a hit with customers, and the BID proposed it again for 2021.
The Ocean County Commissioners, via an informal poll taken at their meeting Wednesday, gave their consent for county officials to give the BID the go-ahead to bring the outdoor dining program into a second year.
Washington Street will be closed from from Robbins Street to Main Street every Friday and Saturday from 5-11 p.m. The outdoor dining will begin again May 1, 2021 and continue through Oct. 29.
