Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Parking, washrooms, splash pads and campgrounds: Several city amenities reopening:
The City of Greater Sudbury is reopening some municipal amenities as part of Stage 2 of the province’s COVID-19 restart plans. “It’s officially summer, and it’s refreshing to see our hard work continue to pay off with the reopening of more outdoor amenities,” said Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger, in a press release. “But with three new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in our community in the past week, it’s a strong reminder that the virus is still a threat and we must continue to be safe and smart. Wash your hands often, keep your distance from others not in your permitted social circle and follow Public Health’s advice to wear a non-medical mask where physical distancing is not possible. Let’s make this summer a safe and healthy one.” To learn of some of the municipal amenities reopening in the near future click here.
Superior Court hearing on Kingsway Entertainment District starts Monday:
Sudbury businessman Tom Fortin and CasinoFreeSudbury will make their arguments against the Kingsway Entertainment District to the Superior Court of Justice starting Monday, June 29. The hearing will be streamed on YouTube on both Monday and Tuesday starting at 10 a.m. Fortin filed a more than 1,500 page appeals package to the Superior Court last October. While he is joined by the Downtown Sudbury BIA and others in the LPAT appeal, Fortin is the only name on the Superior Court application. The BIA had been involved, but has since withdrawn. Fortin, through his lawyer, Gordon Petch, is arguing the city was biased when it approved the Kingsway site in April 2018. Those arguments were removed from the LPAT appeal last year, when the tribunal said it had no jurisdiction to rule on issues of bias, only whether planning laws were followed. The two-day hearing is to argue matters of the law only and will not involve any cross-examination. According to CasinoFreeSudbury, a decision is expected later this summer. If the decision goes in Fortin's favour, the LPAT hearing scheduled for this September will not be required.
Video: Hot dog cart helps feed homeless during grand reopening:
McWeenies celebrated their grand reopening by handing out free hot dogs and sausages to the homeless on June 26. Now in its second summer of operation, the hot dog stand's owner Debbie Solski said she felt the need to give back after watching Bob Johnston and all the work he has done for the homeless in Greater Sudbury during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnston is the founder of Tomorrow's Hope and spearheaded the Homeless of Champions initiative at the Sudbury Arena, which started up in May to provide the homeless with clothing and a safe place to gather during the pandemic. Check out video of the hot dog cart in action here.
Ontario reports 111 new COVID cases today, lowest since March 25:
Public Health Ontario is reporting 111 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, which was the lowest number of new cases reported in a day since March 25. Ontario has reported between 200 and 640 new cases of COVID every day from March 29 to June 12. Eighty-nine of Friday's reported cases are people aged 20 to 59. Testing numbers are at an all-time high with 30,780 tests reported processed in 24 hours according to Friday's epidemiological report. The province reported three more deaths linked to COVID today. One of the deaths was a person between 60 and 79, and two were people over 80. Ontario has reported 2,644 deaths due to COVID since March. There have been 34,316 cases of the coronavirus confirmed in Ontario to-date, and 29,754 of those cases are now reported recovered, leaving 1,918 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. According to Public Health Ontario, there have been 5,445 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in long-term care residents and 1,692 deaths. There are 17 known active cases of the virus in Northern Ontario.
West: Holes in provincial COVID-19 support left some sectors scrambling, others fighting to survive:
Sudbury MPP Jamie West believes that both Nickel City businesses and not-for-profit organizations didn’t get the provincial support they needed during the COVID-19 pandemic and suffered alongside their employees because of it. A lack of information and a lack of funds to support their financial needs amid closures has the two sectors worried they will never get back on their feet. West hosted three virtual meetings late last month in addition to numerous informal conversations with local employees and employers, in response to a request that MPPs consult with their constituents on the gradual reopening of the province. The goal of which was to identify strengths and areas of improvement in the existing strategy, West said. Around 15 community members responded to the survey earlier that month, the MPP said, from a fairly broad spectrum of the community. “We didn’t want it to be a naval-gazing exercise,” he said. The goal was to be constructive. The topics discussed were varied, said West, but the overall sentiment was equal parts pride in Sudbury’s ability to adapt and disappointment in the lack of support offered from the provincial office. Get the full story here.
First virtual NHL vs Docs event raises $78.9K for NEO Kids:
More than 230 people tuned in to watch local celebrities face off (virtually) against NHL players in the first virtual NHL vs Sudbury hockey skills competition on June 23. Thanks to an anonymous donor who matched the total funds raised from the virtual event, $78,900 was raised for NEO Kids. But organizers would like to remind the public that donations are still being accepted and will be matched until June 26. Click here to make a donation online.
