GALENA, Ill. — The City of Galena has extended the period it will allow outdoor dining downtown.

City Council members recently unanimously approved extending the city’s outdoor seating permits expiration from Oct. 11 to Oct. 31. The city previously had voted to allow outdoor seating in a portion of downtown Galena as a way of assisting restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The permits allow downtown businesses to use the street parking spaces in front of their businesses as outdoor consumption areas. The city has restricted vehicle traffic for a large portion of South Main Street in order to accommodate the initiative.