Legion Park now home to Arlington Outdoor Eatery

The recently opened Arlington Outdoor Eatery at Legion Park is providing a new place for local residents to enjoy a restaurant meal.

The program from the city of Arlington and the Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce has put up tables at Legion Park and partnered with local restaurants to provide some socially distanced lunch or dinner tables.

The tables are open at all times but the special service hours are Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A list of the participating restaurants are available at https://www.stillyvalleychamber.com.

Locals can order their food ahead of time, pick it up and bring it to the park or they can have food delivered to the park itself from the restaurants that have delivery options available such as Playa Bonita, Kafe Neo or Pizza Factory.

There is also a QR code available at tables at the eatery to more easily connect to participating restaurants.

The new program was started to support restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When we first realized restaurants had to close to dine in, we provided picnic tables in downtown areas to allow customers with take out to have places to eat outdoors. The tables proved to be needed and popular," said Sarah Lopez, community revitalization project manager for the city of Arlington.

Lopez said Arlington's Mayor Barbara Tolbert hoped to provide something similar in one of the city's parks.

"Because restaurants are at 50% capacity right now, the Eatery provides restaurant owners the ability to take care of additional customers, and also a nice atmosphere for customers to dine with family and friends while supporting local businesses," said Mandy Kruger, executive director of the Stilly Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Kruger said the extra outdoor capacity will help small downtown businesses.

"It is our hope that local businesses see increased take-out orders, and are able to serve more customers who normally would want to eat inside, but now have an option to eat outside," she said.

It is also bringing people into the downtown area.

"Having this outdoor eatery will draw people to spend more time downtown," said Lopez. "I think the public really misses the downtown events. This is something that they can do in lieu of the events."

Local parent Candace Michel said she has come down a couple of times to the new eatery program.

"It's a great place for our kids to be outside and not necessarily at a playground setting," she said. "It's clean and there's restaurants and coffee shops. It's a great place to get together with your friends."

The program has been open since the end of August.

"The feedback from our chamber members, as well as the community has been extremely positive. We hope the Outdoor Eatery can be a long-term dining option for our community," said Kruger.

It has also brought more people out to Legion Park.

"It looks better than ever with the tables and umbrellas, large hanging flower baskets, and music playing in the background," said Lopez.

The program is open to more participating restaurants for those that want to be involved.

"The Stilly Valley Chamber is excited and honored to partner with the city of Arlington on a project aimed to help local restaurant owners during this unprecedented time. If an establishment would like to participate we hope they reach out to their local chamber of commerce and we can add them to the list," said Kruger.

Lopez said the city is open to any input or any more ideas to help local residents and businesses at this time.