By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Ortonville- The Downtown Development Authority, in partnership with the village, have received a grant from a program to support restaurants, bars and cafes.
“We applied for the ability to get some outdoor propane heaters, some greenhouses to go in front of or around restaurants,” said village manager Dale Stuart. “We applied to get eight heaters, four greenhouses, two electrostatic sprayers, 30 disinfectant solution bottles and 60 propane tanks and we were granted all of it.”

The grant is for the businesses within the DDA district that qualify, meaning restaurants.
“Because the village has a DDA, we were given certain premium as far as the award goes from communities that don’t have DDAs,” said Matt Jenkins, DDA Director.
“We have one sit-down restaurant thatis currently functioning. We have Impact North, the smoothie shop, and Papa Bella’s which is doing carry out. Amy at the Village Pub is ecstatic. It is a benefit to downtown Ortonville.”
The grant will help the Village Pub in downtown Ortonville to have outdoor seating through the cold months as they will be receiving three greenhouse awnings and one igloo for outdoor dining.