What have councillors been hearing from the community?
That’s what Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano asked councillors to share with one another on April 6, when council once more came together remotely in an electronically broadcast meeting—the third of its kind since March 26, 2020.
One by one, councillors expressed the concerns they’d been hearing including seeing people congregating despite the dire warning from the Province to self-isolate in order to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Deputy Mayor Nancy Alcock, who said she had heard concerns about hotel owners not practising safe distancing measures, said she wasn’t entirely sure how to direct the person who had contacted her with those concerns, but said she ended up giving them the number for the OPP.
“I guess my lesson around that is the more communication the better when we have information that we need to get out to the community,” she told her fellow councillors.
On a positive note, added Alcock, she said she was hearing a lot about how businesses are adapting in light of the situation. “I can think of at least a handful that have kind of completely readjusted the way they do business and it’s kind of really inspirational to hear and see, not to say everything’s tickety-boo, but for me, every day is a learning experience.”
Councillor Dan Armour, a commander with paramedic services in Muskoka, said he thought people were adapting well, “and I have a lot of faith going forward.”
Councillor Jason FitzGerald said he’s proud of his community. “I see everyone doing what they’re supposed to be doing. I think the Town staff and you have done a very good job relating to the public what’s acceptable and what isn’t, and for the most part in Port Sydney where I seem to be stuck, everyone is being helpful and abiding by the rules, so I’m happy to see that.”
Councillor Dionne Schumacher, who also represents that area, concurred but said she had received a couple of calls on the weekend from constituents concerned that some people were seen congregating on their driveway.
She said while they were keeping their distance, they were still having friends over. Other concerns involved neighbours inviting family up for the weekend to stay with them. “And I get that it’s family but again impressing upon them that family needs to stay apart unless they’re in the same home kind of thing,” she said. Schumacher also said she had been contacted by another community member whose opinion it was, based on the last council meeting, that council was too caught up on dollar figures and forgot they were dealing with people.
She said that may have been the impression that came out in open session but much of the discussion surrounding people and the impact the municipality’s decisions would have on them was discussed in closed session.
Also on a positive note, Shumacher, who works for Community Living Huntsville, said she was grateful that the community had donated cloth masks to the organization. “It’s nice to see the community step up and help with regards to the staff that are going in each and every day in our group homes, which is nice to see.”
Councillor Bob Stone said he had received many calls and emails about cottagers coming to the area to “wait this out.” He said year-round residents are quite concerned, because “obviously our small hospital isn’t ready for a big influx beyond our local citizens at this time.” He said many of the contractors who look after opening the cottages of seasonal residents are refusing to do so at this time.
The cottage maintenance companies have banded together and said ‘we’re not going to be opening these cottages for the people headed this way until the emergency is over,’ and I really take my hat off to them for not taking the business in order to do the right thing.
— Councillor Bob Stone
Councillor Brian Thompson said he’d heard concerns from a couple of people about the amount of traffic at a local gas station and grocery store this past Friday. “It was almost like summer and there was concern in that regard that the appropriate social distancing was not taking place particularly at the grocery store…”
Thompson said he had also heard concerns about council’s decision to leave out dust suppression as part of its cost-saving measures and said he’d be asking council to revisit that decision at the next council meeting.
Huntsville Councillor Jonathan Wiebe said he got a call from a friend in the trades who seemed confused as to whether the work he was doing was in fact considered an essential service.
He said he had called to “ask my opinion on what the right thing to do was,” said Wiebe, who is also a carpenter.
I think a lot of people in the trades, etc. are getting mixed messages. On one hand, they hear our premier saying ‘please stay home’ and on the other hand work’s proceeding. They don’t know if they’re actually providing an essential service or not. They feel kind of stuck in two spots
— Councillor Jonathan Wiebe
“There’s a lot of people in the trades, which makes up a large number of the workforce here, that feels kind of stuck in two spots,” he added.
Huntsville Councillor Tim Withey, an insurance broker, said he’s been hearing from many clients who operate businesses in Huntsville. “The common comment I’m hearing from them is that they don’t think they’re going to make it, that they can’t last being closed now or for much longer. A number of the larger resorts that are clients of mine are calling, not because I know any better, but to vent because they’re concerned that they’re not going to have a summer season at all. So, as others have spoken, it’s great to be optimistic, I’m afraid that we are in this for the long haul and there’s going to be a lot of long-standing issues for a lot of our people—not only business owners but employees,” said Withey. “I believe we have to hope for the best but plan for the worst. I’m not getting calls about traffic on highways. I’m not getting calls about people congregating, I’m getting calls about people who are losing their livelihoods and the livelihoods of their employees…”
Terziano thanked council and reminded community members that as Easter weekend approaches, a time most would spend with family and friends, that gatherings should take place remotely, through digital media and telephone calls. “It won’t be a normal Easter,” she said, adding that there’s also a fire ban in place. “Practice self-distancing and let’s keep our community as healthy as we can.”
She said the contact information for various community resources will be provided on the Town’s COVID-19 information page at huntsville.ca.
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Dale Peacock says
I’m not sure how so many people are seeing suspicious activity if they are stuck at home where they should be. I’ve seen nothing because I’m at home! The town might have slipped off the earth and if I didn’t read it in Doppler I wouldn’t know.
Also, I suspect that all the sightings of cottagers might be overblown. Overlooking whether or not they have a right to be here (let’s not get into that again) let’s remember that just a few weeks ago people imagined hordes of people – that were proven not to exist – getting off busses in the area
Rob Millman says
A sane, objective response, as usual, Dale. Myself personally, and many others wish that you still wrote an intermittent column for this paper.
Regarding some of the queries of Council, I’m only repeating what I understand to be true:
1) all businesses with a loss of 30% (comparing month-to-month from last year) will receive a federal subsidy;
2) workers will receive 75% of their salary; and
3) there are detailed guidelines for what construction is able to proceed.
It’s far from perfect, but it is generous under the umbrella of a pandemic.
Stephanie Keeley says
While I fully appreciate the concern of local residents regarding healthcare and food supply during this terrible pandemic, as a ‘seasonal resident’ who has been in the community for 35 years, I am distressed to see how cottagers have become pariahs who local business people are encouraged not to accommodate. My husband and I spend six months full time at our Lake of Bays ‘home’ and it is our ‘home’. We have donated generously to the hospital throughout our time living here as have many, many other cottagers. We have always dealt with local business people and have always treated them well and paid them promptly. We have always considered them our friends. Councillor Bob Stone drew an unfortunate line in the sand by encouraging local businesses not to deal with cottagers. This pandemic will not last forever and I’m afraid many working relationships will be affected by business people refusing to help the cottagers during this time. Any people I know who are presently at their cottages have brought the bulk of their food from the city and intend to return to the city should a health problem arise. EVERYONE is isolating. As I said, I realize everyone is frightened at this time, but we should all work together as a community, because like it or not, seasonal or local, we are all are part of the community. I speak for many cottagers when I say that while we’re aware of the local residents’ concerns and respect them, we are very disappointed that the people with whom we’ve had warm and mutually beneficial working relationships, now are encouraged to turn their backs on us. For my family, Lake of Bays is our home. Our chosen home. I regret feeling unwelcome here.
Respectfully,
Stephanie Keeley
Harriet Hutchinson says
There are still large gatherings going on. A friend of mine reported going for a walk one sunny day in a remote rural area and coming upon a big house party in her neck of the woods so to speak. Out of concern for the community it was reported it to Crime Stoppers with no response. The irony of it all and the dilemma was that the party was at the home of an OPP officer.
Cottage season is coming up and this is going to happen again. I have 2 questions: (1) In a close community where looking the other way has been historically the solution till now what procedure does one use to protect the community by reporting such risky infractions? (2) Is all of this tough talk by politicians just posturing or is there a lawful procedure for action without infringing on rights and tying up the courts?.
Thomas R Spivak says
I think Stephanie misses the point.
If you have traveled from a different area of Ontario or elsewhere, the fact is, many other areas as close as Orillia are already struggling with rising infection rates and deaths.
If you think that because you gave to the hospital, have cottages here for decades, have lots of money, or many friends up here somehow makes you immune to this infection or incapable of transmitting it, you are quite simply a fool.
Why should the year round residents stay home, miss work, lose money, and be subjected to the risk of infection because you “need” to go to the cottage?
We are all in this together and we all must share the responsibility of maintaining the health of every Canadian.
Please be responsible and stay home.
Diana Kato says
It’s all about the Spread of the Virus! The community is rightly and desperately, trying to follow municipal, provincial, and federal leaders, who All say in solidarity, Stay Home! If you need to know why, there is no shortage of statistics and new reasons to do so. I’m not ganging up on cottagers, I’m trying my ‘darndest’ to gang up on the virus!!! Doug Ford personally and specifically told cottagers to Stay Home. Your home address would be the one on your health card just like everyone else’s!
Al Collins says
Front line police officers work as a team referred to as platoons. In the vast majority of rural Ontario their schedule requires them to work 5 straight 12 to 14 hour shifts. The nature of their work requires them to share bathrooms, microphones, keyboards, telephone hand sets, steering wheels, weapons and countless other bacteria magnets. By the nature of their work they tend to have close social bonds and see themselves as family. During this pandemic going to work everyday under these conditions is a role of the dice and if one member of a platoon gets ill in all likelihood they’re all going down. An evening get together isn’t going to increase risk nor place anyone else at risk. Nice of you to show your appreciation by using this platform however, as an effort to call them out and embarrass them.
Thomas Spivak says
You are quite simply wrong Mr. Collins.
Every additional contact increases the risk.
We’re all the people at this gathering OPP officers?
I doubt it.
Set an example, not an exception.
jo Ann Purdie says
Thank you Stephanie for your well written letter detailing the concerns of most cottagers, and my family in particular.
We are good people, good friends and good neighbours.. we have supported our cottage community for years, and have always supported locally, charities and small businesses. We could have easily brought in our ” big city” trades but always chose to use those in (what we thought was-) our community.
For an elected Councillor to praise local trades for not honouring their commitments was irresponsible.
My taxes also support road building, and hospitals amongst other things. I would like to make a motion to the Councillor, if you would like to restrict our return to our owned properties for months, then please reduce my property taxes accordingly..
What a shame that “we are all in this together” does not include long time cottagers and friends. We brought up our own food, and would never think of coming north if we were not well, we have also isolated in the cottage.
This summer our family will instead purchase needed articles from our own home town and bring up to the cottage, as they say “” what goes around comes around…
JoAnn Purdie