WELLINGTON COUNTY – Dave Stickle summed up his first 18 holes of golf last Saturday in three words.
“It was amazing,” the Elora resident said of his May 16 round at Wildwinds Golf Links in Centre Wellington.
Stickle was among many golfers taking advantage of the province’s decision to reopen golf courses as part of stage one of its plan to reopen the economy after a two-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Doug Ford announced the first stage of the reopening on May 14, but he did not specify exactly how long it would last.
“It was all based on the numbers coming down and we have to see a trend for a couple of weeks so there’s no time frame on when we move to stage two,” said Ford.
“It will take as long as it takes to get the numbers down consistently over a couple of weeks.”
Also opening on May 16, in time for the Victoria Day long weekend, were:
– marinas, boat clubs, public boat launches, for recreational use;
– private parks and campgrounds may open to enable preparation for the season and to allow access for trailers and recreational vehicles whose owners have a full-season contract; and
– businesses that board animals, such as stables, may allow boarders to visit, care for or ride their animal.
The start of the golf season was delayed just by several weeks, but for many it marked the first time in months they were able to socialize with friends.
“We haven’t been together since last November,” said Stickle of his regular foursome, all longtime friends and members at Wildwinds.
“I think everybody was in the same mindset … it was just so nice to get out on the course and see each other again.”
Stickle had such a good time he fit in a second round on Sunday – and then a third on Monday in the rain.
Course officials also welcomed the May 16 opening, though most were operating under different rules to ensure physical distancing and sanitization requirements are met, including spaced out tee times and the elimination of cups.
At the Mount Forest Golf Club, co-owner Kristen Quealy said business was steady, however the course was not fully booked up for the opening day by around 9am on May 17.
“But the phone’s ringing,” she said. “It’s nice to be open.”
With the province announcing on May 14 golf courses would be among the businesses allowed to re-open, Quealy noted there wasn’t a lot of time to prepare.
“We just got the plexi-glass (at the office counter) installed yesterday,” she said, adding the course was operating under provincially-mandated restrictions such as no sharing of carts unless golfers are members of the same household and mandatory pre-booking of tee times.
Equine reunions
Horse owner Katie Rowan, of Ariss, was reunited on May 19 with her mare Dixie at Travis Hall Equestrian Centre in Centre Wellington.
“You know what, it’s fantastic,” she said.
Since barns closed to boarders in March, Rowan was unable to see her equine partner, but once she saw Dixie, she knew she was well cared for in their time apart.
“She’s a little on the chubby side, but … it’s nice to see that she’s on the chubby side,” Rowan explained.
“As an owner that’s a real good indication for me that she’s been well taken care of and that’s kind of the main concern not being able to see your animals for so long is their well being and their maintenance.
“Part of the ownership of coming out and getting to see your horse and seeing how they’re doing and keeping tabs on them and then all of a sudden that’s ripped away from you and it’s like how is my horse doing, what is their daily routine, what is happening with them?”
Rowan said that when she walked into the barn Dixie recognized her steps.
“She was kind of looking down the aisle,” Rowan said. “She kind of knows when I’m coming.”
Further openings
On May 14 Ford also announced a list of retailers, businesses, and health and community service providers that will be allowed to open or expand their current offerings on May 19.
Ford thanked residents of Ontario for their efforts in flattening the curve, but cautioned businesses planning to reopen.
“I want to be clear: only if they are ready,” he said.
“All of this is dependent on the numbers, so the truth is we need to be ready to react if we see a sudden increase in cases.”
Added Ford, “If we take our time and get it right then we’ll be able to open more businesses and get more people back to work.
“We have a long way to go. We have a long road to recovery, so let’s take some time today and be grateful how far we all have come.”
Businesses that reopen to customers this week have to adhere to public health measures and residents are encouraged to continue practising physical distancing and wearing a face covering.
Those allowed to open or resume services on May 19 include:
– retail services not in shopping malls that have separate street-front entrances (with measures to enable physical distancing, such as limiting customers in the store at any one time and booking appointments);
– seasonal businesses and recreational activities for individual or single competitors, including training and sport competitions conducted by a recognized national or provincial sport organization (including indoor and outdoor non-team sport competitions that can be played while maintaining physical distancing and without spectators, such as tennis, track and field and horse racing);
– animal services, specifically pet care services, such as grooming and training, and regular veterinary appointments;
– indoor and outdoor household services that can follow public health guidelines, such as housekeepers, cooks, cleaning and maintenance;
– lifting essential workplace limits on construction; and
– certain health and medical services, such as in-person counselling and scheduled surgeries, as well as resuming professional services such as shifting Children’s Treatment Centres from virtual to in-person.
Gatherings still limited
Ford was asked numerous times about when gatherings of more than five people would be allowed.
He said he didn’t yet have that answer.
“I really do understand the pain you’re going through, that your family’s going through and other families are going through,” said Ford.
“I just ask that we hang in there just a little bit longer.”
