Quiet long weekend at Sauble, while golf courses, boat launches and campgrounds reopen

Heading into the Victoria Day long weekend, South Bruce Peninsula’s mayor used yellow pavement tape from public works to create arrows on Sauble Beach’s Main Street sidewalks to encourage physical distancing over what has historically been the busy “unofficial start” to summer.

“We needed to prepare for the worst,” Mayor Janice Jackson said in an interview Monday.

But, it turns out, the measure wasn’t really needed, which she said was a huge relief.

“There just was not the crowds on the streets that we had expected and worried about,” she said.

This has been a “summer season” long weekend unlike any other in modern history – taking place amid the global COVID-19 pandemic that has prompted the province to declare a state of emergency, recently extended to June 2, while prohibiting gatherings of more than five people and ordering the closure of a long list of non-essential businesses and outdoor recreational amenities.

In Grey-Bruce, medical officer of health Dr. Ian Arra has ordered the closure of all municipally managed beaches throughout the region. The goal was to prevent day-trippers from travelling to Grey-Bruce during this point in the pandemic.

Still, some local municipal officials expressed concern that the long weekend and favourable weather conditions could cause an influx of tourists to descend on places like Sauble Beach.

Jackson urged people via a Facebook post late last week to “not let your guard down” this weekend, but continue following recommended measures aimed at stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus.

She wrote that with good weather, the town could easily see 10,000 people clambering up from the city to visit Sauble.

Signs both on the way to and in Sauble ask people to refrain from non-essential travel.

On Monday, Jackson said by all accounts, it appears the long weekend was relatively quiet at Sauble Beach.

“There hasn’t been very much action out on the streets at all. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this long weekend and with Saturday calling for sun, but it was a lot quieter than I think a lot of us expected,” she said. “I understand the grocery store at Sauble was very quiet, but the garden centre was booming, which is interesting.”

Most cottagers have arrived, she said, but it looks like they have been staying to themselves and practising social distancing.

About a dozen tickets were issued Saturday and Sunday to people who ventured onto the beach despite the closure and large “Beach closed” signs.

Jackson said she will be relieved once the current COVID-19 situation is over and the town can welcome tourists to Sauble Beach with open arms once again.

Anita Maahs, owner of Sola’s Grill on Lakeshore Boulevard, said it was a terrible weekend for the restaurant, with “very, very little business.”

Normally, the Victoria Day long weekend is a key one for the restaurant, which has been operating at Sauble Beach for about 30 years, she said.

“It’s the start of our summer. It’s very important for us, especially at Sauble where we’ve got a short span to make up for our year. But my sales are down substantially from last year,” she said.

Sola’s Grill has been offering takeout meals for the past three weekends, she said, and this weekend was no busier than the previous two.

Ahead of the long weekend, the provincial government began slowly reopening the economy, with some restrictions lifted last week.

First, garden centres and hardware stores could allow in-store purchasing again.

Then, the province announced that golf courses, marinas and public boat launches could reopen Saturday, while private campgrounds could reopen to seasonal campers.

Scenic City Golf near Owen Sound was one of the courses that opened this weekend.

Owner Jake Clark said Saturday was a great opening day, with many golfers enjoying their first round of the season.

“Everybody was well-behaved and enthusiastic and following the social distancing criteria,” he said Monday.

He said golf courses should have never been mandated to close since they can easily operate while respecting the rules aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.

If this was a normal year, his course would have been open in late March, he said. However, April didn’t have the best weather for golfing anyway, he added.

Owen Sound resident Darrell Watson was one of the eager anglers who launched their boats Saturday morning after the city’s east-side boat launch reopened at 12:01 a.m.

Watson was fishing Saturday and Sunday with his 14-year-old son Lance in their 16-foot Starcraft aluminum boat. They caught one fish Saturday and two Sunday.

There were about 40 other boats on the water Saturday, he said.

“Being locked up for weeks with no fishing was really taking a toll on my mental health and depression set in hard. Being out on the water instantly turned me around and I feel 90 per cent better,” he said.

Jessica Neerhof of Westside Nurseries & Greenhouses said it was a busy weekend at the business near Owen Sound, but everyone has been abiding by the social distancing and other rules that are in place to keep them safe.

She said people are really happy to be able to browse and shop again and are excited to take on projects in their yards.

“We are finding that a lot of people for the first time are putting gardens in their yards, growing vegetables, fruits and herbs. With most of them stuck at home, a lot of people are finding they are spending their free time in their yards, finishing projects that have been on the back burner for the last few years and creating new projects.”

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