Kingston and region residents respect social distancing after conservation areas reopened

Nature trails and conservation areas reopened this past weekend, partially on a recommendation from the KFL&A medical officer of health.

So with Saturday’s sunny, warm weather, did residents respect social distancing guidelines?

A resident, who declined to be named and lives close to Lemoine Point Conservation Area, told Global News that she decided not to come to the park on Saturday because she felt there was way too much traffic.

With half the parking lot closed, thanks to restrictions still in place to reduce overcrowding, the woman said that people were parking along the shoulders of the access road to the park.

But other people Global News spoke to on Monday at Lemoine Point said there were lots of cars, but there was also a lot of social distancing.

“No, we weren’t tripping over people,” said Karen Michaels. “We were saying, ‘where are the people?'”

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Michaels and her husband visit Lemoine Point every day throughout the year.

“If you saw a person on the trail, you just went way out of your way to avoid each other,” said Michaels. “But say hi!

“And everybody are so glad that Lemione Point is back in full swing.”

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Rebecca Simkins and her family of six were out for the first time since the conservation area reopened on Saturday.

“When the parking lot looks busy, you still have lots of distance,” she said.

“And the people we did run into, everybody was keeping their six-feet distance,” Simkins added. “Lots of birds and squirrels to feed.

“Definitely nice to get out of the house and get some fresh air.”

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At the Lappan’s Lane garden waste depot, there’s been a reduced stream of people in their vehicles dropping off garden waste.

Restrictions put in place by the City of Kingston before the Easter long weekend appear to be working.

“On some days we had well over 600 vehicles coming down Lappan’s Lane and entering the site,” said solid waste director Heather Roberts.

Residents are only to drop off yard waste on the day of the week their garbage is picked up. Now, the authority has gone one step further to stop overcrowding.

“If you can, hold onto those items until the emergency is over,” says Roberts, “and we can go back to normal operations at some point.”

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There is Saturday drop-off available, but it depends on which side of Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard you happen to live on.

If you live west of the boulevard, you can access the Lappan’s Lane site on April 25, May 9 and May 23.

For those who live east of the boulevard and north of the 401, the recycling site may be accessed on May 2, May 16 and May 30.