Queen Street in downtown Lakefield will remain closed for around another week as demolition continues of the fire-ravaged Kawartha Home Hardware building.
According to a media release from Selwyn Township issued on Friday afternoon (October 15), “significant progress” has been made on the demolition of the building at 24 Queen Street, which was engulfed by flames on October 9, destroying the upper-level apartments as well as the hardware store on the main floor.
Queen Street will remain closed for safety reasons while the demolition continues in a “controlled and safe manner,” as will Burnham Street between Queen Street and Charlotte Street. Two streetlights on Queen Street that were removed during firefighting operations will be reinstalled once the demolition is complete.
“We know how eager everyone is to see Queen Street reopen,” says Selwyn Township mayor Sherry Senis in the release. “The closure is required to ensure public safety and provide a safe workspace for the demolition crew. We are grateful to residents and business owners for their continued patience and support as this important work continues.”
Despite the closure of Queen Street, businesses in downtown Lakefield are open and the township is encouraging residents and visitors to support local shops, restaurants, and services.
There are also several upcoming events where residents and visitors can support Lakefield businesses, including the “Ladies Night Out Lakefield” series.
Running on Thursdays and Tuesdays from November 13 until December 2, the local shopping and pre-holiday event presented by downtown Lakefield merchants includes access to exclusive promotions at participating shops, door prizes, and more, with proceeds from the $10 ticket price supporting residents who were displaced by the fire.
The Lakefield Scavenger Hunt, where participants explore a variety of local businesses while learning about the history of the Lakefield, was postponed because of the fire and will be rescheduled to a later date.
There will also be holiday programming aimed at supporting shop-local efforts.
Selwyn Township is also providing information on garbage and recycling collection for businesses and tenants affected by the closure of Queen Street.
Business owners that back onto Charlotte Street must place their garbage and recycling on Charlotte Street, while businesses located on the corners of Queen Street can place their garbage and recycling on the appropriate side street (Albert Street or Reid Street).
All other businesses must take their garbage and recycling to the Reid Street end of Queen Street and place items on the inside of the road barricade (not on Reid Street itself). Businesses should mark all garbage and recycling containers with their address so the containers can be easily identified and returned after collection.
