Streetside patios have quickly popped up all over Toronto as the city enters its buzzing summer season, but one local business has been unable to take advantage of the CafeTO program because of unanticipated local pushback.

The historic and newly-revamped Gladstone House had submitted an application to be able to open a 113-square-metre sidwalk cafe for its bistro and bar this year, but was refused a permit by the City due to "multiple objections" from locals.

But, it seems that those who complained represent a very small few, as a number of residents are piping up online to question the baffling decision.

How do people think culture is built? We have to allow things like this, we have to encourage community and using our spaces - and not let a small group of cranky and vocal NIMBYs decide everything https://t.co/sY17Zha9eE

— Ani✨ (@Anita_Chauhan) June 4, 2024

People have been quick to point out the fact that the area is a prime downtown location amid a ton of other restaurants with patios, that such amenities provide immense benefit for businesses, citizens and visitors, and that the address — at the corner of Queen St. W and Gladstone — lends itself especially well to outdoor dining.

"Gladstone needs more patios and life on the street. Plus it is right by good transit links that people can [use to] get home safely if they have been drinking. The Queen streetcar is 24 hours," one person, who said they wrote into the city to express their support of this specific terrace, said on x on Tuesday.

"This sidewalk cafe proposal improves the neighbourhood and creates a more vibrant streetscape," another added.

And still another wrote "If the people that represent an entire city voted to create a patio program, it doesn't make sense that a rounding error fraction of them can stop one. If you meet the requirements set out by whatever rules there are (which are usually arcane already), you should be good to go."

If I moved into an apartment at Queen and Gladstone I would simply not complain about the hotel/bar across the street from me potentially having a patio, but that's just me. It's up to staff (and now council) to rightly dismiss the complaints as nonsensical.

— Observing The City (@observinthecity) June 4, 2024

Many took the opportunity to bemoan this type of frustrating, somehow still-persistent NIMBYism in many parts of the city, while one hilariously shared a banner from an old Simpsons episode that reads "we hate life and ourselves," proposing it as a fitting new slogan for T.O. given incidents like these.

Municipal code dictates that businesses applying for flanking patios must notify property owners and occupants within a 60-metre radius of the proposed spaces and post a public notice for at least 21 days. It was during this window that the objections were submitted to the City.

As of the time of publication, it looks like the Gladstone is appealing the denial — and also like the City may be getting a few more letters asking that they grant the permit, now that people are aware of the issue.