King remains in Stage 1 as neighbours move to Stage 2 in COVID-19 reopening

‘We have to be just as vigilant,’ says King Mayor Steve Pellegrini

Yorkregion.com
June 18, 2020
Laura Broadley

As the provincial government announced on Monday, June 8 that more businesses were allowed to reopen, those in the business community waited with baited breath to find out if they would be allowed to reopen their doors on June 12.

The regions given the proverbial green light to reopen were restricted by public health unit boundaries. York Region Public Health was one of several in the Greater Toronto Area not allowed to move into Stage 2.

Although King Township is still in Stage 1, Mayor Steve Pellegrini is confident it will be moved to Stage 2 in the coming days.

“It’s great to move to Stage 2, but we’re still in a pandemic. The concern (is) of it coming back, and they’re saying at a magnitude of four times as bad, if people aren’t careful,” Pellegrini said. “It isn’t over. We have to be just as vigilant.”

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Pellegrini said he’s proud of the fact that the number of COVID-19 cases in King Township remains low.

“King’s numbers (of COVID-19 cases) are extremely low, which is awesome. I’m very proud of the people in King,” Pellegrini said.

Neighbouring Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit was allowed to move into Stage 2, meaning restaurants and bars with outdoor seating and hair salons in Bradford were allowed to reopen.

“I’m cautiously optimistic that it’s good for (the) business community. The small, self-employed businesses have been asked to give up an awful lot because of COVID-19,” said Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer.

The question remains whether residents of other communities will head to Bradford.

“I think those small businesses will be busy enough with their regular clientele that there won’t be a lot of opportunity for people from York Region to utilize the services that we have in our town,” Keffer said.

Keffer said there are several York Region residents that come to Bradford regularly for its businesses.

“They are certainly welcome if they have been supporting our Bradford businesses,” he said.

Brittany Buck, owner of BBBeauty Boutique in Bradford, said she’s happy to be back after nearly three months.

BBBeauty Boutique is only offering hair services at this time, as they’ve had to hold off on reopening the waxing, makeup and facial side of the business. They’ve also eliminated blow-drying in the salon until further notice as a precaution.

“We have literally four months of clients that we’re trying to get in right now,” Buck said.

Buck has introduced several protocols to be followed by staff and clients, to be as safe as possible.

“Every staff member and client will be wearing a mask,” she said. “Capes, towels, all and any draping are one-time use.”

BBBeauty Boutique is calling the clients who had pre-booked appointments for the time during which the salon was closed, and there is also a list of clients who want to book appointments. The list totals over 700 people.

As for whether BBBeauty Boutique will be taking clients from outside Bradford, Buck said her salon isn’t accepting new clients at this time.

Buck said she doesn’t agree that people from the city should be able to come out to the areas that are in Stage 2.

“I don’t agree with that,” Buck said. “I think that’s just going backwards.”

Adelina Britl, owner of Infinity Beauty Salon on Holland Street East, had her first client in three months on Friday, June 12.

“Right now, we’re trying to go back to normal, which isn’t normal at all,” Britl said.

Infinity Beauty Salon opened on March 14 and had to close on March 24.

“It was really bad timing,” Britl said.

Britl’s priority is her current customers, and she’s completely booked through to July.

“I have a long list of clients waiting,” she said.

But Britl said that it’s understandable that people from outside Bradford would try and get appointments.