Slowly, slowly, businesses, municipalities respond to stage 3

Jeff Green | Jul 15, 2020

When the Province of Ontario announced on Monday that most regions in the province would be entering phase 3, the reopening phase after the COVID-19 shutdown, it created some openings for businesses to resume more or less normal operations.

But, at least over the next few weeks, stage 3 will look quite a bit like stage 2.

In Sharbot Lake, for example, the three in-town restaurants have all decided not to open their indoor dining areas on Friday, or any time soon. They have all made changes to their service models and accommodating indoor seating within the new guidelines does not work for them, at least during the summer.

“We have our patio and our take-out business going now, but to try and open some of the tables inside is not something we are comfortable with, and I don’t think our customers are either,” said Phil Gray of the Maples Restaurant. “We don’t have the staffing in place either, We will look at it once the summer is over, but for now our customers are enjoying the patio.”

The Maples will also not be extending their hours in order to be open for breakfast during the weekdays, as they were before COVID hit.

“We are stretched as it is,” he said.

For the Cardinal Café, the tight quarters in the converted church where they are located, makes indoor opening impractical. We would have a capacity of 6 people, and there isn’t even six feet between one of our tables and our service bar,” said Nancy Moore, of the Cardinal. “For now, we will keep serving from the takeout window we have put in, and inviting customers to use our patio.

The Sharbot Lake Country Inn has been focussing on their takeout business, with Wednesday and Friday specials. They recently opened their patio, which is licensed, as an option for their takeout patrons, but opening their dining room will have to wait. One of the complications around dining room service is the family sized tables that the Inn uses. They usually contribute to a home atmosphere, but now they make it hard to set up a properly distanced dining room.

“It just doesn’t make sense for us to open the dining room,” said Sandra White of the Country Inn.

Information about the plans in other communities has been hard to come by, early this week. Muddy Waters in Verona will open their dining room on July 22.

“For now, we will maintain the same hours as we have been open with just the outdoor seating. We will be open indoors and the patio will also be available for people who order takeout and sit outside, but we will have table service indoors as of the 22^nd. It is taking a bit of time to get everything organised and to be clear about the rules” said Denise of Muddy Waters.

In Sydenham, the Point Restaurant will not be opening their dining room.

“We are going to continue to do what we have been doing, takeout and patio service on Thursday to Saturday and Sunday brunch,” said Carolyn Teal of The Point. “I;m not sure the public is ready for a change and I’m not sure we are ready just yet.”

Sydenham Country Café, which has been open 8am-7pm with a drive-through window take-out and patio seating, has added indoor seating as of Friday. 

“It is really an extension of what we are doing, since we do not have table service anyway. Customers will be able to sit inside as well as outside,” said Peggy Hallett of the Café. The indoor capacity will be 10, and customers must wear masks indoors except when they are seated at their table.

In Battersea, the plans for the Holiday Country Manor has made their covered porch available for seating, but the dining room and lounge are only be opened to private groups at this time. They remain open from Thursday to Sunday.

Also in Battersea, The Creekside Bar and Grill is going to stay the course. They have their popular patio open, with live music played by musicians who are in the parking lot.

“I want to see a few weeks through, before we are ready to move into the next phase. Please respect and support our decision. In the end, I just want to keep my staff and family as safe as possible,” said Kyle Gordon of Creekside on the restaurants Facebook page.

On the Highway 41 corridor, Joje café has been open for takeout and has not posted their new plans. Addison’s Restaurant has been open from Thursday to Monday, with takeout and patio dining since early June, and they are going to stick with that, opting not to poen indoors for the time being.

“We may revisit that in the fall, but for now we don’t want to jump into anything,” said Melissa of Addington’s Restaurant.

Spill the Beanz Café in Northbrook opened their dining room, to augment their takeout service, on Friday, July 17, the opening day of Stage 3.

“We have a lot of space here, 2,000 square feet, so we can handle a reasonable number of customers with social distancing.”

We have not reached the Codfather in Northbrook, North of 7 in Plevna, and Mazinaw Lakeside Resort to see what they are planning, but we will update this page when we do.

Elements Fitness, a gym and fitness centre in Sydenham, is opening up again on Monday after being closed for four months.

Elements has a large outdoor component to their facility, and making ful use of that will allow them to get their members back in the gym safely.

Karley Heyman, of Elements Fitness, said “I look at this as an opportunity to make changes to the way we schedule classes, and provide services,” when contacted as she was setting up stations and ensuring distancing and disinfection protocols can be completed by opening day on the 20^th.

Heyman was still waiting to find out whether masks will be required during gym classes and while using equipment, expressing concerns that if they are required it will be harder for members to breathe while working out and harder for trainers like herself to monitor how people are doing while working out. It was revealed on Friday that the Public Health order permits masks to be removed during workouts at gyms.

Another aspect of Phase 3 opening will be the reopening of township halls, with a capacity of 50.

But townships appear to be going slow on that score.

On Thursday July 27, Central Frontenac released the following about stage 3:

“What does this mean for Central Frontenac?

- All municipal playground structures and halls will remain closed until proper sanitation protocols can be facilitated. Staff are reviewing the guidelines and working hard to ensure the appropriate procedures are in place. Further announcements will be forthcoming when we are ready to open our playgrounds and halls.

- The municipal office remains open to the public; masks are required. Please follow instructions posted at the entrance for entry. Calling ahead for appointments is also encouraged.”

And on Friday, July 17, south Frontenac released their initial stage 3 response:

Availability of Outdoor Recreational Spaces

“The Township will be phasing in the reopening of its outdoor facilities to ensure that those spaces can be operated in a way that safeguards the health and safety of Township staff and residents.

Dates for the reopening of outdoor amenities are proposed as follows: Doubles play for Pickleball is now permitted on Township courts; Benches and shelters are available for use, effective July 17^th,  Playground structures will reopen on July 24th, and Sports fields will be available for bookings as of August 4^th.

Indoor Facilities:  Indoor facilities will remain closed at this time, but will be available for booking at a future date.”

The Sydenham Legion is working on a reopening strategy as well. There is a meeting of the Legion executive on Monday, July 20, and the time frame for reopening may be clarified at that time.

On Friday morning, Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public released guidelines for phase 3 and an amendment to the section 22 order requiring masks. The guidelines for stage 3 re-opening are available here.

Some changes to the mask wearing regulations were announced - The amendments to the section 22 order are available here