Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Councillors requesting a closer look at renovation of downtown arena:
A pair of Greater Sudbury councillors are bringing forward a motion requesting that staff take a closer look at a proposal that promises to save the city $40 million. Sudbury-based architecture firm 3rdLine.Studio released its vision for the Sudbury Community Arena in June, with a proposal dubbed Project NOW. Ward 4 coun. Geoff McCausland and Ward 1 coun. Mark Signoretti will be tabling a members' motion at city council on Sept. 8, asking staff to evaluate the Project NOW plan and report back to council at the Oct. 6 meeting of council. The proposed plan promises $40 million in savings compared to a new arena build through a massive overhaul of the existing downtown arena that would include expanding and upgrading the public entryways, creating a new concourse, new loading access and event support spaces, as well as adding 450 indoor parking spaces adjacent to the arena. 3rdLine's plan also includes 60,000 sq. ft. of commerical space on Minto and Brady Streets. Get the full story here.
Man rescued from Lorne Street sinkhole on Aug. 1:
In what can only be described as a bizarre event, a man had to be rescued from inside a sinkhole on Lorne Street on Aug. 1, said Greater Sudbury Police Service. A video of the man seen inside the sinkhole, located near The Beer Store, surfaced on social media on Aug. 28. It shows the man’s head, clearly visible through the opening of the hole, as bystanders wait for police officers to arrive. Police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said they received a call on Aug. 1. Officers said the man told them he fell in the hole, “however, that is unlikely considering the size of the hole,” she said. The officers helped pull him out of the hole. You can check out the video here.
Collingwood man dies while swimming at Carter Bay on Manitoulin Island:
A 48-year-old Collingwood man died while swimming at Carter Bay on Manitoulin Island over the weekend. Emergency services were called out to the area at 2:55 p.m. Aug. 29 for a report of a possible drowning. OPP said in a press release that an investigation revealed the man was swimming with two children, when the undertow began to pull them further from shore. The man was trying to push the children closer to shore when he was pulled underwater. The victim is identified as Damon Clarke, age 48, of Collingwood. A post-mortem examination has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death. The investigation is ongoing under the direction of the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OCC-OFPS). Foul play is not suspected.
Small business fund now open for COVID-19 relief:
Small businesses across the country looking to recover from the impact of COVID-19 are now eligible for relief funding under the Canada United Small Business Relief Fund. Led by the Royal Bank of Canada, the fund brings together financial institutions, corporate Canada, business associations and more to support small businesses feeling the impact of the pandemic. Active as of 1 p.m. on Aug. 31, the fund will provide up to $5,000 in funding toward recovery efforts including purchasing personal protective equipment, renovating physical spaces, or developing e-commerce capabilities. The initiative is being complemented by a #CanadaUnited social media campaign that encourages shoppers to support small businesses by buying local. Learn more about the fund here.
Ontario confirms 112 new COVID cases Tuesday:
Public Health Ontario confirmed 112 new cases of COVID-19 in Tuesday's update and has reported one death. The province confirmed the death of an individual over 80 years old with COVID-19. Of the new cases confirmed Sept. 1, 77 (68 per cent) were reported by four health units. According to a breakdown of cases provided by Public Health Ontario, Peel Public Health reported 28 new cases, Toronto reported 26 new cases, Windsor-Essex County reported 11 new cases and York Region reported 12 new cases. Ontario has now confirmed 42,421 cases of COVID-19 in the province, and of those 31 per cent have been individuals between 20 and 39 years old. Public Health Ontario has also reported 38,369 recoveries, which is 90.4 per cent of all confirmed cases. There have been 2,812 deaths of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, which is 6.6 per cent of all lab-confirmed cases.
Garlic, pyrohy and cabbage rolls: A tasty fundraiser for the Ukrainian Seniors Centre:
For organizations that depend on fundraising to help them survive, the pandemic has not been kind. Now that Ontario is in Stage 3 of reopening, many groups are trying to figure out ways of raising funds while maintaining physical distancing. One of those groups is the Ukrainian Seniors Centre. Everyone in Sudbury is familiar with their weekly sales of pyrohy (perogies) and other tasty Ukrainian dishes, weekly sales that had to stop because of the pandemic. Well the seniors are back and they want to help you feed your face. On Sunday, Sept. 13, the Seniors Centre is offering curbside pickup of fresh cabbage rolls and pyrohy, as well as hot lunches. However, you must pre-order by Sept. 10 to get your goodies. Cabbage rolls and pyrohy are selling for $9/dozen. You can also buy butter tarts, two for $3. The hot lunch includes pyrohy, cabbage rolls and patychky (pork meat stick). Pre-order by calling the Ukrainian Seniors Centre at 705-673-7404. And if the prepared food doesn’t contain enough garlic, the centre will also have two garlic vendors on site on Sept. 13 so you can stock up on the wonderful bulb.
Wednesday Weather:
A few showers in the forecast for Wednesday. Mainly cloudy to start the day with showers expected into the afternoon. Wednesday's high will be sitting at around 22. Skies will clear later in the afternoon and into the evening. Overnight low will get down to 9 with a few clouds overhead. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
