The Local, July 9, 2020

Porch group remembers their friend, David Galloway pages 8-9 The trusted voice of our community. notllocal.com JULY 9, 2020 Volume 2 • Issue 28 NOTL Museum opens its doors Penny Coles federal governments. We be- The Local gan planning this quite a few weeks ago, anticipating our This week is a new start re-opening. We’re excited for the museum, as it opens to be able to get people back its doors under a new name. through the doors, and doing Rebranded the Niaga- what we can to make them ra-on-the-Lake Museum, for- feel safe.” merly known as the Niagara Kaufman says she and Historical Museum, it is wel- other staff “are really looking coming members this week forward to seeing our mem- for a slow, cautious opening, bers, and familiar faces from and visitors starting Tuesday, the community. We’ve really July 14, so all can enjoy a mu- missed them.” seum experience that adheres Some displays around the to regional, provincial and entrance have been moved to federal health guidelines. avoid crowding, and some piec- “We’re asking visitors to es “slightly” rearranged in the maintain physical distancing, main building, which is already follow directional arrows, spacious, to allow for accessibil- and we’re limiting time and ity, says Kaufman. And with a number of visitors inside the limit of 10 visitors at a time, ev- museum,” says managing eryone should be able to move director and curator, Sarah around comfortably and enjoy Kaufman. the exhibits, she adds. “It’s really exciting, but “We want our members also a little nerve-wracking,” and visitors to have a relaxed she says. experience when they come “We’ve taken the time to here, but we’re also making sure make sure all protective mea- that safety is paramount, for Long-time Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum supporter Neil Rumble was the first visitor when the doors opened to members Tuesday sures are in place, looking them and our staff,” she says. morning. He and Sarah Kaufman, managing director and curator show safe distancing is possible while enjoying the exhibits. at recommendations from Doors open to the public Tuesday, July 14. (Photo supplied) the regional, provincial and Continued on page 14 Street closure continues, with mixed reactions from merchants Penny Coles son, who has been on Queen “We don’t need this added his, selling high-end clothing, forces our point. Older people winters in a normal year.” The Local Street for more than 30 years, stress. Trying to run a business were equally discouraged. don’t want to park far away and But nothing about this year “we might have had a Saturday at this time is stressful enough On Saturday, Shauna says, walk in the heat. That’s what is normal, and locals, especially Queen Street is closed to in February years ago that was without making it any worse.” she and other retailers were we’re hearing from our custom- seniors, are afraid to come out, traffic for at least one more worse, but this was the first Sat- As far as he’s concerned, it’s not busy. “We’ve never seen ers.” she says. weekend, although some mer- urday in July.” clear the trial is a failure, is not anything like this. We had four She says some people told Even the long-standing chants would like to see the pi- He says he agreed to a helping merchants, and this weekends under our belt before her they drove to town, saw the businesses on Queen Street “are lot project dropped now. weekend pilot project, thinking should be the end of it. this, and they were better than street closed, and almost didn’t not immune to closure. No one That was the hope of the it might help some of the mer- “I’m a democrat. If you want this weekend. We were not ex- stop. is immune to shutting down.” owners of at least one store, and chants, but it was proven to be to have a debate about the pe- pecting to see crowds, but we “It’s only been two days, While she agrees that peo- they say they are not alone. a disaster. destrianization of Queen Street weren’t expecting this. It defi- but it’s devastating,” she says. ple need to feel safe, she says Shauna Dickson of Irish Sunday was slightly better, two or three years from now, nitely hit us hard.” “Weekends are what keep us that wasn’t a problem this week- Design, one of the oldest stores but not by much. then let’s debate it, but not now. Yes, it was hot, but it’s been going. We had three staff mem- end. on the main street, says this Sat- He admits he and his wife We do not need this now.” hot other weekends, she says. “I bers in Saturday, and we would The trial closure was an urday was the worst ever for the Maureen were feeling “pretty He says most of the mer- don’t know if that is something have been better off closed. opportunity to see what would store. down about this” Saturday eve- chants he’s spoken to, particu- to judge by. If it’s going to be “We adore our locals, and Adds her father, Paul Dick- ning. larly those with stores similar to part of the discussion, it rein- they do help get us through the Continued on page 2 2 July 9, 2020 THE NOTL LOCAL notllocal.com Emergency closure signs frustrate merchants, chamber Continued from page 1 She also questions that there The message he is hearing majority of merchants want, but was no signage directing people from a lot of people, he says, is the chamber wants to continue happen, and she is open to to park in the Market Square, that they would like to see some the trial, Disero told councillors. change if it helps, but this has which was not full, and that music, some entertainment on Coun. Wendy Cheropita not, she says. Johnson and Prideaux Streets the street. says the signs made it look like If nothing else changes, the had signs posted that said no But closing the street “was the street was closed to pedes- signage must, she adds. exit, with no further informa- not intended to create an event. trians, and most walked on the A sign at the entrance to tion. It was to create physical distanc- sidewalk. “If we want a true test, Queen Street, by the blockades, “People who were on the ing.” Entertainment is not feasi- with valid results, it would be declared an ‘emergency road fence about this will say, ‘well, ble at this time, he adds. great to make it look like an in- closure,’ when instead, a smi- we’ve tried it,’ but really it was Merchants were encourag- viting pedestrian walkway.” ley face and a sign welcoming poor execution, that was the ing visitors to wear masks, and Interim CAO Sheldon Ran- visitors would have been much problem. It was not a good trial.” the majority were, he says. dall says he has discussed sig- more helpful. She says she hopes the Town For something that was nage with the chamber, which is These were taken by Shauna Dickson Saturday, at 1:40 p.m., “It was so discouraging to and chamber will look through tried “for the first time ever,” committed to more welcoming to show there was no need to be concerned about physical dis- see that. We started the day in all the surveys before making closing the street without a fes- signs for pedestrians. tancing on the street. good spirits, but that changed a decision, and, “if none of the tival to draw people, “it was not everything.” merchants support it, then don’t that bad,” says Lafforgue. Kim Gauld of the Sunset support it.” He agrees the signs were a Grill is one of the restaurant Eduardo Lafforgue, pres- problem. owners who took advantage of ident and CEO of the NOTL “The message should have the ability to set up a patio on Chamber of Commerce, says been ‘welcome back.’ I think Queen Street, paying for the the intention for street closure if we change the signs for next two parking spots where the pa- was always to allow for so- weekend, it will be better. tio is located. cial distancing, “and this was “Right now there is no mag- She has now gone through achieved.” ical solution. We are all trying two weekends with the patio, People were walking on the new things, and we need to be one with Queen Street open, side of the street, rather than flexible. If we fail, we all fail, and and the other when it was down the middle, looking for if we thrive, we all thrive. We’re closed. There was very little dif- shade in the very hot weather. all in this together.” ference in sales between the two “We can’t do anything about In her pandemic update weekends, she says. t h at .” to councillors Monday, Lord More welcoming signs might encourage pedestrians to use the street, merchants say. (Penny Coles) As a representative of the He says there is a different Mayor Betty Disero was clear new merchants’ group, she has demographic coming to town she’d like to look at other op- heard “mixed reviews” on the these days, with more young tions, including opening the Residents ask for resolution street closure, and has handed people visiting, stopping for ice road to traffic but closing off some surveys over to the Town, cream or enjoying the patios, some parking spaces to allow without tabulating the results.

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