Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen of Champaign issued Emergency Order 20-18 on Wednesday, which goes into effect today. This order sets in motion a three-part plan to support local restaurants and bars that aim to provide outdoor seating and dining areas to customers as Champaign reaches phase three of Restore Illinois’s reopening plan. 

The first part of this plan grants the temporary expansion of Champaign’s Outdoor Cafe program, which allows for the sale and consumption of food and beverages on public outdoor spaces near existing bars and restaurants. This can include certain sidewalks, streets, loading zones and parking spaces. The Outdoor Cafe hours will be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Second, restaurants and bars who have private parking lots or other vacant outdoor space can temporarily expand their premises for the sale and consumption of food and beverages in those areas. These expanded outdoor areas will also be permitted to operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

Third, three “Picnic Parks” will be created in Downtown Champaign on City streets for customers of takeout food from Downtown restaurants. These will be run by the City of Champaign and the Champaign Park District. The Picnic Parks should be completed by next week, and will be open during lunch and dinner hours. They will close at 9:00 p.m. and no alcohol will be permitted in the parks. 

One of the Picnic Parks will be located at Chester Street between Walnut Street and University Avenue. Another at the Eastern section of Park Avenue between Neil and Randolph streets. The last will be at the Southern section of the City parking lot at Neil and Washington streets.

More details about expanded service areas on private and public property, maps of the Picnic Parks, as well as the full emergency order can be found here.