Over at Lefroy Harbour Resorts, boating families began arriving on Saturday morning for their first chance to get on the waters of Lake Simcoe since COVID-19 hit.
With the lifting of restrictions on privately owned boat launches and marinas on May 16, said Linda Ellery, “we opened at 10 o’clock this morning” and immediately the marina was busy.
Lefroy Harbour has been emailing its members throughout the pandemic closures, keeping them up-to-date, Ellery said.
“As soon as we got the announcement from Doug Ford (on Thursday), within 10 minutes we had that out.”
Lefroy Harbour has instituted a number of safety measures. The restaurants, playground and pool remain closed, boaters are asked to bring their own food and beverages and consume them on board only. And at this time, Ellery said, “it’s only family members themselves on their boats; no congregating and no friends.”
As well, the marina, as it “summer-izes” the boats, has been “fogging” to sanitize the vessels.
“We’re paying attention to all regulations” to ensure the safety of both staff and patrons, Ellery said. “Social distancing is the big one.”
Lefroy Harbour Resorts normally opens on the Victoria Day long weekend, with an opening-day celebration, so the Saturday launch was “kind of our opening event,” she noted. And even with COVID-19 restrictions in place, boating families “are pretty happy and excited to be here.”
Lefroy Harbour Resorts and its sister facility in Gilford, Kon Tiki Marina, don’t have public boat launches. It’s a different story at several other facilities, including Monto-Reno Marina in Lefroy and Cook’s Bay Marina in Gilford.
Both have public boat launches and slips, and both were open for business, for the Victoria Day long weekend.
Art Enwright at Monto-Reno noted that there was no need to notify boaters that the marina would be opening on Saturday.
“They’ve all been watching the TV news, and started calling” just as soon as Premier Doug Ford made the announcement, he said. “All our fishermen are coming in.”
The road to the marina was lined with trucks and boat trailers. Inside the marina, social distancing measures were in place, along with directional arrows, to ensure traffic flow is one-way. And so far, said Enwright, everyone is “being good,” and following the rules.
Around on the south side of Cook’s Bay, Holland River Marina near Holland Landing also opened its doors. The 250-slip facility has a public boat launch, and has been “very” busy, said Gail Aabo; in fact, so busy that she could only spare a minute or two to talk.
The opening has been “by the book,” said Aabo, following all provincial guidelines – with social distancing the norm, a limit of one person at a time inside the store, and security onsite to ensure that boaters and anglers follow the rules.
Even a publicly owned boat launch was open in time for the long weekend. The Town of Innisfil decided to open the launch at Innisfil Beach Park, but for residents only.
The launch will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents are being asked to book a launch time online, or by calling 705-436-3710.
Only residents with proof of residency were being allowed through the gates by staff on Saturday, warned to observe two metre physical distancing at all times.
“Residents have been so patient,” said Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin, explaining the decision to open.
However, other amenities at Innisfil Beach Park – beaches, playgrounds, washrooms – remained closed on the weekend, and the other town boat launches at 1090 Shoreacres Drive and 973 Isabella Street, are not expected to open until May 22.
