PARK AND DINE

Michael Higgins, owner of Maldaner’s Restaurant, 222 S. Sixth St. in downtown Springfi eld, received city approval this week to convert two parking spaces in front of his restaurant into a “parklette” – essentially a space for outdoor dining. Scheduled for construction Sept. 12, it will be a raised wooden platform with seating for up to 20 people at fi ve tables, separating them from traffi c with an ornamental iron railing. Higgins hopes the parklette, which he is paying for himself, will spur further beautifi cation across the city while attracting more people downtown. He is already known for installing solar panels and an urban garden complete with bee hives on his building’s roof. “I hope that my efforts will infl uence other businesses, local government and neighborhoods to see that if we work together and take pride in our city, Springfi eld can be the city known for forward thinking, reinvigoration and progress,” he said. And if you’re one who is concerned about the loss of two parking spaces for a parklette, consider that the City of Springfi eld estimates there are 29,047 parking spaces downtown; you just might have to walk a block or two after parking.