Taking it Outside in Style

PVD Cares Outside is the new public program from The Steel Yard and City of Providence Arts, Culture, and Tourism. At a meeting last year, Tim Ferland, director of public projects for The Steel Yard, said, “Maybe we should put together some kits to help restaurants and retail stores move their operations outside.” To date, the grant-funded project has produced 30 kits that will help businesses all over the city “take it outside” and stay safe during the pandemic. “The plan was to take this money and try to keep it as local as possible,” says Ferland, “to create something unique for the city.”

Each kit consists of tents, traffic barriers, string lights, electrical cords, cord covers, and posters. The Steel Yard was also able to use the grant to hire local artists to customize the kits. Troop recently installed their kit for outdoor dining, and you can expect to see more kits pop up around the city as the weather gets warmer. Businesses can apply for a kit through The Steel Yard’s website (thesteelyard.org).