Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Saturday morning.
City: Encampment damage closes drinking fountains for repairs
With the closure of the warming centre on June 1 and the sweltering temperatures that have already arrived, many of the vulnerable population are searching for a place to cool off, wash and simply get a drink of water. However, as the drinking fountains in Memorial Park have been turned off for some time and the warming centre closed as of June 1, there is no access to bathrooms, drinking water, hygiene stations or wound care for people who are homeless in the downtown core. The only amenities available now are services such as the downtown library branch and the small bottle refilling station located just outside the Sudbury Arena. Despite the clearing of the encampment in Memorial Park on April 1, many of its former residents and other vulnerable community members spend a great deal of time in the downtown core, close to support services, the location of the as yet unopened Supervised consumption site, and the place they have always gathered together. But after the closure of the encampment, the warming/cooling centre and the city’s shutdown of Memorial Park itself for remediation work, this vulnerable population will have limited water available to them.
Sudbury Market returns to downtown June 4
The Sudbury Market returns to downtown Sudbury as of June 4. The Sudbury Market provides local farmers and makers with the opportunity to sell their wares to the public. It is back at 233 Elgin Street across from Sudbury Arena. The market had been located at Science North, but its roots have always been in the downtown core, Downtown Sudbury director Kyle Marcus said in a news release this week. “We are thrilled to see the Sudbury Market return to Downtown Sudbury. Its roots originated here and we have a long history with the market,” he said. “We are excited to welcome them back post-pandemic and look forward to seeing how we can add value to the market’s offerings through space activations and community partnerships.” The market’s return to the downtown is a sign life is “coming back to the core” as the pandemic wanes, Marcus said.
Durham Street YMCA is hemorrhaging money
Hemorrhaging money, the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario’s Durham Street location in downtown Sudbury serves as the organization's “Achilles’ heel.” “We are predicting over the next five years somewhere between a $700,000 to $720,000 loss just driven from this facility,” CEO Helen Francis told city council earlier this week. “Yes, we have a beautiful 20-year-old facility, but many of those key assets within the facility need to be rehabilitated and renovated and in some cases replaced.” In addition to this loss, they anticipate requiring a capital investment of $5.5 million over the next five years and an annual investment of $600,000 to keep the building, which includes a pool and various other community facilities, in a safe and operable condition. “We think right now might be the right time for the two biggest partners to get back together to just re-imagine and make sure we’re doing this in the most efficient and effective and well-serving approach for our community.” The YMCA co-owns the downtown Centre For Life building with the City of Greater Sudbury under a condominium corporation arrangement wherein each partner owns different areas.
Timmins area wildfire burning 1,445 hectares
No new wildfires have been confirmed as of this afternoon, the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry said in a release today. Currently, there are four active fires in the Northeast region, including Timmins 1, which was confirmed the afternoon of Tuesday, May 10. It is located two kilometres southeast of Morin Village and half a kilometre north of Barager's Lake. This fire is under control at 1445 hectares. Other fires of note include: Sudbury 4 was confirmed the afternoon of Tuesday, May 10. It is under control at 229 hectares and is located three kilometres east of Estaire and one kilometre south of Nepewassi Lake Road; Sudbury 7 was confirmed the afternoon of Tuesday, May 10. It is under control at 221 hectares, and it is located 600 metres north of Ashigami road and 0.3 kilometres west of Ashigami Lake Road East, and; Sudbury 11 was confirmed on Friday, May 13. It is under control at 88 hectares and is located two kilometres northeast of Mink Lake.
Ontario COVID cases, deaths, hospitalizations on steady decline
The province is reporting fewer than 1,000 new COVID cases today, and more than a 50 per cent reduction in new cases per week compared to the beginning of May. The June 3, 2022 report noted 888 new COVID cases, which is down from 1,444 new cases reported one week ago on May 28, and 1,547 new cases reported a month ago on May 3. Testing is still limited, so the number of new cases is expected to be underestimated. There were 14,086 new cases confirmed in Ontario between May 1 and 7, which is more than double the 6,033 cases reported between May 22 and 28. The number of severe cases resulting in hospitalization and deaths is also down with between seven and 10 deaths per day during the week of May 20-27, compared to 10-21 deaths per day between May 4 and 11. The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 has decreased over the last 30 days from about 90 new hospitalizations on May 2, to approximately 25 per day over the last week.
Read the full story on the Sudbury.com homepage.
Symposium will examine hazards around battery electric vehicles
With more mining operations introducing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) to their fleets, Workplace Safety North (WSN) wants to make sure they’re operated safely. That’s why the training organization is hosting a one-day symposium this September, so mining professionals can “network and share knowledge about the risks associated with battery-powered equipment and explore ways to manage hazards.” The event is scheduled for Sept. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Holiday Inn on Regent Street in Sudbury’s South End. It’s geared toward general managers, mine managers, health and safety managers, supervisors, Joint Health and Safety Committee representatives, and maintenance and procurement professionals.
Read the full story on the Sudbury.com homepage.
Not too hot, not too sunny this weekend
Expect a weekend that isn’t too hot, but isn’t overly sunny either. For Saturday, expect a mix of sun and cloud, and a high of 18. The skies will become cloudy in the morning. The wind will be out of the west at 30 km/h, gusting to 50. The UV index today is four, or moderate. Tonight, expect clear skies and a low of 6. For Sunday, expect a mix of sun and cloud with a 30-per-cent chance of showers and a high of 20. For Sunday night, expect a low of 10 under cloudy skies with a 30-per-cent chance of showers.
