The City of Peterborough has provided an update on the status of municipal services given the Ontario government’s announcement of stage two reopenings effective Friday (June 12).

Beaches are now open and water quality will be tested, but wading and splash pads remain closed for now.

Also remaining closed for now is the swimming pool at Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, the Art Gallery of Peterborough, the Peterborough Public Library (except for pick-up services), the city’s two child care centres, and the Riverview Park and Zoo (operated by Peterborough Utilities).

A plan is underway to reopen Peterborough Museum and Archives for early July.

Details on the status of municipal services in Peterborough, as well as the zoo, are provided below.

Beaches, wading pools, and splash pads

City of Peterborough beaches are now open to the public. However, lifeguards are not expected to start at the beaches at Beavermead Park and Rogers Cove until Saturday, June 27th. Peterborough Public Health will begin monitoring water quality at the two beaches, posting signage to show when it’s not safe to go in the water (kawarthaNOW will be posting water quality results every week).

The city is making arrangements for the opening of wading pools, and will announce a date for the opening of wading pools when it is available.

While the province’s stage two reopening allows splash pads to open, the city is delaying their opening because the water isn’t chlorinated to the extent that it is at pools and wading pools. This affects the cleanliness of the high-touch surfaces on the play structures in the splash pads. The city considers its splash pads to be similar to the situation with playground structures, and will open its splash pads after the province eases or lifts its emergency orders to allow playgrounds to open.

Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre

While the province’s stage two reopening allows public pools to open, the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre pool will remain closed at this time.

Since the centre’s fitness centre must remain closed under the province’s emergency orders, the city plan to reopen the pool only when the entire facility is able to open.

Staff are working with Peterborough Public Health to create a plan to safely reopen the centre. When the opening date is set, it will be announced and posted on the city’s website and through social media.

Peterborough Museum and Archives

Museums are allowed to open under the province’s stage two reopening plan. The city is putting necessary protocols in place for the safety of visitors and staff.

One option being explored is an online booking system for time slots to visit the museum in order to limit the number of visitors in the museum. The museum is also reviewing its exhibits and layout to support physical distancing.

The current estimate is that the museum could reopen to the public in early July. When the opening date is set, it will be announced and posted on the city’s website and through social media.

Peterborough Public Library

The Peterborough Public Library continues to provide pickup and drop-off services, but the facility remains closed to the public at this time.

While the province’s stage two reopening allows libraries to open, the province’s guidelines include significant restrictions, such as no touching of books or DVDs. Due to the layout of the library, it is not possible to reopen under the current provincial restrictions.

The Peterborough Public Library is continuing to review the provincial restrictions and its operations to plan for reopening. When services can be adjusted, they will be announced and posted on the Peterborough Public Library website and through social media.

Art Gallery of Peterborough

While the province’s stage two reopening allows art galleries to open, the Art Gallery of Peterborough remains closed at this time.

The provincial guidelines are being reviewed to put in place protocols for the safety of visitors and staff. In addition, renovations are currently underway at the gallery, which would affect the opening of the gallery.

When a date is set for the re-opening of the gallery, it will be announced and posted on the Art Gallery of Peterborough website and through social media.

Sport fields

Sport fields are open for casual use, following public health guidelines on physical distancing and restrictions under the province’s emergency orders, such as the prohibition on social gatherings larger than 10 people.

The city is not issuing permits for the reservation of sport fields at this time.

Arenas

Arenas remain closed, as the province’s emergency orders do not allow them to open at this time.

Child care services

The city’s municipally operated child care programs at Pearson Child Care Centre and Peterborough Day Care Centre are currently delivering emergency child care for essential workers, which the province announced would continue until June 26th. Given this situation, the two centres will not be resuming regular child care services at this time.

The city is reviewing recently announced health and safety protocols for child care and, when arrangements for the reopening of centres are ready, they will announced and posted on the city’s website and social media.

Parents with children in the programs will be contacted directly when more information is available.

City municipal administration buildings

City Hall and most other city administration buildings remain closed to the public at this time.

The city is planning for the reopening of the facilities for in-person services, after putting in place protocols for the safety of residents and employees and providing direction and training to staff as needed.

The city’s social services office provides limited access for clients. However, clients are encouraged to contact their case managers through email or phone when possible.

City staff remain available working either on site or remotely. Residents can contact the city by phone at 705-742-7777, by email at cityptbo@peterborough.ca, or by contacting the division or department directly.

Riverview Park and Zoo

The Riverview Park and Zoo, which is operated by Peterborough Utilities, remains closed — including all facilities, amenities, and washrooms.

With the support of the Peterborough Disc Golf Club, the disc golf course is open for limited recreational use of the course, for local players who follow all safety precautions and strict guidelines.

Open park trails can be used for walk-through traffic only, in the allowed group size of no more than 10 persons and maintaining a physical distance of two meters from people outside of your household.

While the Peterborough region’s advancement to stage two of the province’s COVID-19 recovery plan is an encouraging development, Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra says maintaining that status depends on continued adherence to health and safety protocols.

“We’re still in a pandemic, we’re still in a state of emergency,” Dr. Salvaterra said during a weekly briefing on Wednesday (June 10).

“The provincial directives that have been put in place limit what we can and cannot do, but we have to remember we are all still susceptible and we all can still transmit this infection to others. We should all be making careful decisions about what we do or don’t do, avoiding close contact with anyone outside of our household bubble.”

Dr. Salvaterra said a return of Peterborough Public Health’s catchment area — which includes Peterborough city and county and Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations — to stage one status is possible, if non-compliance with ongoing protocols by both businesses and resident result in a spike in positive cases.

The reason the Peterborough Public Health catchment area is being allowed to proceed with stage two can be found in the numbers. Locally, there have been 61 positive cases detected per 100,000 people, compared to Ontario’s rate of 210 positive cases per 100,000 people.

Meanwhile, the local incidence rate over the past week is 1.4 positive cases per 100,000 people, again much lower than the provincial incidence rate of 16 cases per 100,000 people.

As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday (June 9), the total number of positive cases in the region was 91, with only two new cases reported so far in June. Of the positive cases, 85 have been resolved while four cases remain active — a decrease of seven over the past week — with two COVID-19 related deaths reported. There are no institutional outbreaks reported in the region.

Meanwhile, an estimated 11,100 people have been tested — close to 2,000 over the past week. One of every 13 residents in Peterborough Public Health’s catchment area has now been tested.

One major component of the stage two allowances is the reopening of day cares. Dr. Salvaterra notes that does come with a restriction of up to 10 people per group, including both children and staff.

Also now permitted is the opening of restaurant, pub, and café patios in conjunction with a provincial directive that groups of up to 10 are now permitted — but with physical distancing and other measures still required.

“The number 10 does not imply that we can all socialize in groups of up to 10 people,” Dr. Salvaterra clarified.

“The number 10 applies to groups and meetings where physical distancing is still practised. With patios opening, we expect that it will be household groups that will be eating together, not a birthday party with 10 guests. And with personal service settings (barber and hairdressing shops) opening, all customers and staff are required to wear a mask.”

Monitoring of patio spaces, says Dr. Salvaterra, will be done as part of routine food safety inspections and/or in response to any complaints lodged.

As for existing patios requiring more space to operate, or establishments moving ahead with a new patio space, Mayor Diane Therrien said the city is reviewing what can be done, noting lane reductions and temporary one-way restrictions are on the table.

Also participating in Wednesday’s media briefing was Selwyn Mayor and Peterborough Board of Health chair Andy Mitchell.

Colleges and universities minister Ross Romano was flying solo at a media conference at Queen’s Park on Wednesday (June 10), as Premier Doug Ford and health minister Christine Elliott were absent so they could get tested for COVID-19.

“I actually just learned about this a matter of minutes before coming up to the podium,” Romano told reporters.

On Tuesday (June 9), education minister Stephen Lecce was tested after he learned he had come into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus.

Both Ford and Elliott were with Lecce at a Tuesday announcement about the reopening of child care centres in Ontario.

Ford and Elliott did not attend Wednesday’s media conference “out of an abundance of caution”, according to a statement from the Premier’s office. As well as getting tested, Ford and Elliott will be monitoring themselves for symptoms, the statement says.

As for Romano, he announced a framework for the opening of Ontario’s post-secondary sector for students who were unable to complete all their course requirements online.

Romano said these ‘academically stranded’ students would have been able to graduate, had they been able to complete some final lab or practicum requirements in person on campus.

The students include those studying to become nurses, personal support workers, engineers, and skilled tradespeople.

“These individuals could be working today, helping in Ontario’s economic recovery, but for the fact they must complete a mere matter of hours, in some cases, of in-person learning,” Romano said.

Romano announced a framework to allow these students, who number in the thousands, to return to their post-secondary institutions as soon as Thursday, July 2nd, with the program concluding by September.

Publicly funded colleges and universities, Indigenous Institutes, private career colleges, and other post-secondary education institutions may participate in this voluntary reopening.

Institutions that choose to participate will be responsible for establishing their own plans for this limited reopening in accordance with public health advice and any ministry guidance, including screening and essential visitors only.

In September, all students will be able to attend post-secondary education through virtual learning, in-class instruction, or hybrid formats.

This story has been updated to include the results of the COVID-19 tests of Premier Doug Ford, health minister Christine Elliott, and education minister Stephen Lecce.

The Peterborough Naval Association announced on Wednesday (June 10) that it is dissolving after 73 years.

The association plans to create a trust fund with the proceeds from selling its property, which will be used to support veterans, veterans’ families, veterans’ organizations, educational bursaries, and other causes.

Comprised of former members of the navy, the Peterborough Naval Association was founded in 1947.

Soon after, the association acquired its seven-acre property on the point formed where Meade Creek flows into the Otonabee River and was incorporated in 1953.

The association built a clubhouse and a small drawbridge to connect the property with the end of Whitlaw Street at Lansdowne Street. In the 1980s, the association also built Admiralty Hall, providing rental space for banquets, receptions, and more.

According to the association’s interim president Dan Ayotte, 77 per cent of members supported the decision to dissolve and set up a trust fund.

“Faced with declining revenues and increasing costs, our members voted to dissolve the association and sell the property at this time to create a legacy fund that will continue to support veterans and their families into the future,” Ayotte says.

As well as declining revenues, the association was faced with rising maintenance and operating costs for its property.

In 2013, the City of Peterborough agreed to buy the the organization’s property. The agreement included a grant for a new pedestrian bridge on the property, as well as advances on the purchase price to assist the association with its operating costs.

“However, our revenue shortfalls and escalating expenditures continued,” Ayotte says. “We put a number of options to our members, including continuing on with the association in different forms. The members decided to create a legacy fund.”

Now that it has decided to dissolve, the association will ask the city to move up the closing date for the property purchase.

The association will be transferring its property to the city to become public land, located next to Beavermead Park with a future extension of the trail network around Little Lake.

“Even as the association plans for its dissolution, the members are focused on helping veterans and contributing to the broader community,” Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien says.

“With those values, I know the Naval Association will continue to be a presence in our community, regardless of whether it’s an incorporated organization or an informal, close knit association of veterans and community-minded individuals.”

With Peterborough among those Ontario regions permitted to proceed with stage two of Ontario’s COVID-19 recovery plan starting this Friday, local restaurants and café owners are now grappling with the new normal as they prepare for their patios’ now-allowed reopening.

kawarthaNOW reached out to three local restaurant owners to find out their plans.

Ashburnham Ale House

“It was a bit of a shocker to hear Premier Doug Ford say that we could go ahead on Friday (June 12),” admits Scott Wood, owner of the Ashburnham Ale House (128 Hunter Street East, Peterborough, 705-874-0333) that opened its doors in 2013.

“When I heard we that we are going to be allowed to open just the patio, I thought ‘There’s going to be a lot of disappointed people that come to our door and can’t get a table,” Wood says.

“So I went out and bought seven picnic tables. AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) has already sent an email saying no barriers are necessary. No permit or fees are required. We can serve on patios adjacent to our building. That puts us in a very enviable position, since we have some free space we can use.”

Pre-COVID, Ashburnham Ale House already had a few outdoor tables on each side of its building. Those will remain, augmented by the new tables placed on its Hunter Street East side. Wood says with a maximum of six people at each of his tables, plus a couple of tables for two, he’ll have capacity for about 70 patrons.

Wood is all for the regional reopening approach adopted by the province, agreeing fully that regions of the province that have a good handle on the pandemic — Peterborough among them — should be given the opportunity to reopen select businesses, services, and amenities.

That said, he warns no one should take that for granted, noting his business will continue to adhere to measures such as physical distancing and the wearing of face masks by front-of-house staff. As for whether or not customers feel safe enough to venture out for a bite to eat, he has no doubt.

“The fact that the phone rang 10 times yesterday within two hours of Doug Ford’s announcement speaks volumes. I think we’re going to have a lot of folks wanting to come here. My only worry at this point is the weather.”

Another aspect of the partial reopening that excites Wood is the opportunity to hire back staff. Over the past few months he kept 11 staff on to handle take-out orders, but he’s now in the process of bringing back 12 to 14 employees.

“We’ve been in a little better position than some other restaurants and pubs because we’ve been able to do take-out quite easily with the space we have,” says Wood.

“My heart goes out to folks who haven’t had that possibility, especially downtown where’s there less room to pull up and park. It’s going to be tough times to come for some of them, for sure.”

While the challenges presented by the pandemic shutdown and restrictions have been daunting, Wood says “Globally we’re all in the same predicament, so it’s not just us that been affected. A natural disaster is higher on my list of things to worry about.”

Black Honey

One of those downtown businesses that is also wrapping its operational head around the relaxing of restrictions for eateries with patios is Black Honey (221 Hunter Street West, 705-750-0024).

Owner Lisa Dixon says she suspected stage two reopenings wouldn’t be allowed until late June at the earliest. As such, she’s now preparing to open her two patios — one at the main entrance and another in back of her business — on Monday, July 6th.

“I’m hopeful by that point we will have stage three and I can open the coffeehouse as well,” says Dixon.

“With two patios, I’m in good shape that way but stage two is still not very helpful in terms of using the patios wisely. I’m prepared for the interior reopening, but I don’t now have the materials to make the patio work. I have to remove some tables, and I have to enlarge the patio.”

“If I have a line-up and people order a bunch of stuff, I have to direct them outside. A couple of things could happen. One is I have too many people and not enough tables. The other thing is I won’t have the proper coverings (if it rains or the sun is too hot). Another thing is I could have six patio tables with umbrellas, but seven groups from separate homes. I’ve looked into getting a tent, which presents an overhead cost of thousands of dollars.”

Dixon notes she doesn’t just have a responsibility for her customers, but for her staff as well.

“Who of my 24 staff am I calling back? Putting my HR hat on, where do I start? I know who wants to come back, but do I do it through seniority? Do I do it through talent?”

“On top of that, the menu has to change. When the menu changes, I have to retrain the kitchen staff and floor staff on what the new menu is. It has to be menu that works for take-out. My food is fresh. You can’t take a crepe home stuffed with fruit, it’ll be soggy. You can’t take hollandaise home and eat it by the time you get to the house. It’s a raw egg — don’t put it in the fridge and eat it tomorrow.”

Still, as challenging as it is, Dixon looks forward to reopening Black Honey’s patios, noting during the pandemic she lost some serious income when wedding catering jobs were cancelled.

“COVID has pulled the rug out from underneath us … in a way I had to start over the day we closed on March 17,” she says.

“I first told my staff ‘Don’t come to work’. Then I had to tell two people to stay. Then we redesigned the menu according to what the demands were. The demand has changed drastically — stuff we’re doing in the bakery now is quite different than what we did four or five months ago.”

Although Black Honey has been open for 15 years, Dixon says she “feels like I’m doing this all over again.”

Looking ahead, she says when a full reopening is allowed, she’s not sure Black Honey will retain the same feel she’s worked hard to nurture and provide.

“People have great conversations at Black Honey and they last three hours. Black Honey is based on fellowship and sharing, knitting and reading, and poetry and exchanging ideas. Now it’s ‘You’re going to have to leave’. I’m trying to create a business out of 50 per cent capacity.”

Still, she’s confident her strong, loyal customer base” will return, be it during stage two or whatever follows.

“I believe people will come back, but I don’t think we’re looking at the normal that we knew. I do believe if I do the reopening right, I could be a better business and get new customers.”

Terming the pandemic shutdown the biggest challenge her business has endured to date, Dixon says it has eclipsed the year she spent much of her time at Princess Margaret Hospital where her husband Mark was being treated for leukemia.

“He knows that,” she laughs, adding “I told him “This is more difficult than when you were dying.”

Kawartha Coffee Company

The opening of patios is good news for Kawartha Coffee Company, as the popular Bobcaygeon eatery has one of the largest patios in the Kawarthas.

“We are fortunate that even with the regulations of distancing we are able to keep our capacity the same at 110,” says owner Kathleen Seymour-Fagan, who is also Ward 2 councillor for the City of Kawartha Lakes.

She adds that Kawartha Coffee will have enhanced measures in place for both customers and staff “to keep everyone healthy and happy”.

This story was updated to include a quote from Kathleen Seymour-Fagan, owner of Kawartha Coffee Company in Bobcaygeon.