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Vol. 15, No. 24, Wednesday, May 13, 2020 www.LamontLeader.com
Small businesses get green light to reopen this week BY JANA SEMENIUK AND JOHN MATHER With provincial restrictions easing on small businesses being able to re-open, several in the area are planning to relaunch with special rules in place as early as tomorrow (May 14). In Mundare, the Corner Pub will reopen to the public on May 14 with reduced seating for patrons, said owner Peter An in a Facebook post. The restaurant has been offering take out service during the closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We will be sanitizing the doors, tables, chairs, ATM and VLTs,” An’s post read. “And our servers will be wearing face masks as they serve customers.” He is asking customers to stay away if they aren’t feeling well and asks that all customers wash their hands as well. Stools at the bar will be removed for the time being and the restaurant will be operating at 50 per cent of its normal capacity. Cheryl Calinoiu will also re-open Hair by Cher on 50 St. May 14. The business has been closed since the provincial shut down went into effect. “I will be opening,” she said in a post. “But some things will be changed.” She said all staff and customers will have to wear face masks. She added customers should bring their own. “We will only allow one customer in the shop at a time,” her post read. Everything will be sanitized between clients with chairs, doors, counters and all styling tools being cleaned. Enough time will be built into the appointments to allow for the cleaning. In Lamont, at Trendy Petals, owner Deb Fountain is set to re-open after offering only curbside service for the past while. “It has affected my margins that’s for sure,” she said, adding rules surrounding the delivery of flowers during the Mother’s Day sales period hurt. “This will probably take a year to
recoup those losses because flower shops’ profitable days are the big occasions.” She did add she was grateful to her regular customers because she has missed them coming into the shop for a visit. “I love to see their smily faces and hear their stories,” she said. “What a great community of people we have here.” In Bruderheim, Chief Administrative Officer Patty Podoborozny said the town office would still be operating with limited staff for a while longer. “We will still be continuing with our two-way doorbell for a while,” she texted. Meanwhile, Mundare businessman Jason Kowal who started his Love-19 program to support local businesses closed or in limited operation during the pandemic has no plans to shut it down yet. “I’m committed to supporting 19 businesses,” he said. “We’ve done eight so far and there are 11 more to go.” He added while it’s nice to see the
situation easing, he expects it will be some time before things “get close to normal.” The provincial government has set up a webpage that will provide business owners with information on health and safety guidelines for general workplaces and sector-specific guidelines for those able to open in stage one of relaunch to ensure businesses can re-open safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is accessible
at alberta.ca/bizconnect “Businesses who are planning to reopen want to ensure they do so safely while following all proper guidelines,” said Annie Dormuth, provincial affairs officer for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. “A single website with resources will provide small businesses the information they need to re-open and continue their operations while protecting the health and safety of their staff and customers.”
Peter An’s Corner Pub in Mundare has been offering curbside service and take out meals since it was forced to close due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The popular eatery will reopen with 50 per cent capacity on May 14 and all staff will be wearing face masks in accordance with new regulations issued by Alberta Health.
Whitetail Crossing Golf Club general manager Laurent LeBlanc gives instructions to golfers on the opening day of the Mundare course, May 7. Golfers can’t touch the flag sticks, sand traps are out of play, and only one rider is allowed per cart unless the occupants live with each other.