Golfers, and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts, are rejoicing at the most recent reopening announcement made by Premier Doug Ford.
On Thursday, Ford gave the green light for golf courses, tennis courts and other outdoor recreation facilities to reopen this weekend.
While that is good news for recreation-based businesses, it also means a scramble to opening day.
“We’re thrilled to be open, it’s just a challenge,” says Chris Barber, owner of The Landings Golf Course.
“With the golf course, we have about 36 hours to open. Everything has to get ready, staff have to be brought in, and people have to fill the tee sheet.”
Golfers have been chomping at the bit to get out and hit the links ever since the province closed course down back in April.
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This week’s warm weather has only enhanced that temptation to go outside and soak up the sun.
“People are just keen to get out and play,” says Barber.
“That’s part of why we’re thrilled to be open.”
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From a medical standpoint, Kingston’s top doctor is also pleased with the province’s phased reopening plan.
He says he favours the province-wide approach, rather than the regional approach. When the regional approach was implemented previously, he says that encouraged people from locked-down areas to travel to reopened regions.
“I do see the benefit of the decision that they’ve made to have us all work together at the same stages and work in sync,” says Dr. Kieran Moore, medical officer of health for KFL&A.
“Mainly because it’s always threatened us and we’ve always had to deal with outbreaks as a result of travel and movement across Ontario.”
Meanwhile, as golf courses and sports fields are getting ready to reopen, a number of businesses just learned they will remain closed for longer than expected.
Hair and nail salons are in Step 2 of the reopening plan, which is sometime in July.
As for non-essential retailers, it could be at least until mid-June.
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