Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Changes coming at Tom Davies Square as city prepares for Stage Two reopening:
There was an air of a weight being lifted, a light at the end of a long tunnel, as council received its latest COVID-19 update on June 9. Hot on the heels of Premier Doug Ford's June 8 announcement that as of June 12 many regions across the province, including Greater Sudbury, could begin stage two of reopening, Tuesday's report was more optimistic than previous ones. Greater Sudbury CAO Ed Archer gave council an overview of the report, wrapping up with a note of positivity. "Rather than looking back at what services we've reduced or changed, this report looks ahead at what we're bringing back or anticipate continuing to change to facilitate an environment that ensures the virus response that's been so successful continues to be that way for our public services," said Archer. In looking ahead, the city will also be keeping a close eye on what their response has been over the past months, and changes are on the horizon at Tom Davies Square. Much of the city's complex of public facilities such as TDS and 199 Larch St. have unique needs and challenges as restoration plans are put into place. Get the full story here.
Kingsway LPAT hearing date tentatively set for Sept. 17:
The Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) has set Sept. 17 as the date that it will hear from the groups opposing the Kingsway Entertainment District. Sept. 18 has also been slated for a hearing date, if necessary, and both dates are tentative at this point and could be changed, depending on the time frame needed for a Superior Court of Justice ruling in a separate motion, scheduled for June 29 and 30. The anticipation is that the Superior Court ruling could take between 10 and 11 weeks, meaning a ruling could be reached sometime between Sept. 8-15. If a Superior Court ruling is reached at an earlier date, the LPAT hearing could be moved up.
Ford gets tested for COVID-19 after education minister in contact with case:
Premier Doug Ford got tested Wednesday for COVID-19, a day after his education minister came into contact with someone who was infected — despite the minister's test coming back negative. Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott held a joint news conference Tuesday with Stephen Lecce to announce a child-care reopening plan, and Lecce's office said he was notified the same day that he had come into contact with a someone with COVID-19, so he got tested. As a result, Ford and Elliott cancelled their usual daily news conference and the premier's office said they were monitoring themselves for symptoms and getting tested while awaiting Lecce's results. Not long after the colleges and universities minister began a solo appearance at the daily briefing, Lecce's office said his test result came back negative. Ford spokeswoman Ivana Yelich said Ford still got tested for COVID-19 "out of an abundance of caution."
‘Super excited’: Sudbury restaurants pleased to reopen their patios Friday (with some pandemic precautions, of course):
Dining rooms at all Ontario restaurants have been closed since March due to COVID-19, and the owner of the downtown Sudbury eatery The Cedar Nest Decor Café said despite remaining open to takeout, business is down 70 per cent. “It’s very disheartening for everyone,” said Sue Peters, who has been able to stay afloat in part from a partially forgivable, interest-free loan from the government. “We’re all in the same boat.” But earlier this week, the provincial government announced that the area covered by Public Health Sudbury & Districts opens to the Stage 2 loosening of pandemic restrictions as of Friday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. With the lifting of some restrictions, restaurants, bars, food trucks and other food and drink establishments can open for dining in outdoor areas only. That includes patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent premises. Peters said she’s excited to open the sidewalk patio at her Cedar Street business as of 11 a.m. Friday. “I didn’t sleep at all,” she said. “I had all of my to-do lists going on in my mind … There’s not a lot of time to plan to capitalize on the opening day.” Full story can be found here.
Think Ontario’s long-term care issues are new? Think again. It took decades to get here:
Concerns about the level of care provided in long-term care homes in Ontario have been an issue at Queen's Park for many years. A search of online Legislature debates shows that issues have been raised by numerous Members of Provincial Parliament going back decades. In a lot of cases, the concerns raised were about such things as wait lists and a lack of beds at nursing homes — which in turn caused overcrowding and hallway health care in hospitals, where vulnerable seniors ended up — as well as not enough funding for additional staff. The amount of the daily food allowance provided to nursing homes has also been a point of contention. The level of care became an issue for former Ontario NDP leader Howard Hampton in the final days of the 2007 provincial election campaign. Hampton was frustrated that the provincial media was reporting on things such a faith-based education. More on this story here.
Tick found in Sudbury area tests positive for Lyme-disease-causing bacteria:
One blacklegged tick that was found locally has tested positive for the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease. This is the first positive tick reported in the Public Health Sudbury & Districts service area this year. Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reminding everyone of the importance of taking precautions to protect themselves and those in their care. One of the typical signs of Lyme disease is a rash that looks like a bull’s eye: the bite area is surrounded by a round, red rash. Other symptoms of the disease can include fever, headache, and muscle and joint pain. If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause serious problems to the heart, joints, and nervous system. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. For more information on Lyme disease and ticks, phone Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705-522-9200, ext. 464 (toll-free 1-866-522-9200) or visit www.phsd.ca.
Photos: Lynx spotted taking a dip off Moose Mountain Mine Road:
Lynx are notoriously camera-shy, which is why it’s so exciting to see one in the wild, just doing its thing. And that’s exactly what Tyler Mate got to experience on June 3. The Greater Sudbury man was driving along Moose Mountain Mine Road north of Capreol at around 10 a.m. that day when he spotted something in a Rockcut Lake, which is visible from the road. “I noticed something swimming from the road and assumed it was a wolf, but as it swam closer it became obvious that it was a lynx,” he said. He watched the animal paddling along for five minutes or so before it disappeared into the dense brush by the shore, only to reappear moments later as it bolted across the road into the bush. The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) occurs predominantly in boreal forests of Canada, Alaska and parts of the continental United States. A medium-sized cat, the lynx stands, on average, between 48 and 56 centimetres (19 to 22 inches) at the shoulder and can weigh between five and 17 kilograms (up to 37 pounds). You can check out the photos here.
Thursday Weather:
A few showers ending in the morning then mainly cloudy. Cooler day ahead with the high only expected to hit 13. Mainly cloudy into the evening with chances of showers by Friday morning. Overnight low will dip down to 5. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
