The chair of Bluewater’s new Recovery Economic Venture, or REV committee, says they've already had some early successes and they're now looking at longer-term projects.
Bill Whetstone is also the Bayfield ward councillor for Bluewater and said they've taken a look at what has and has not worked well in other communities to help their retailers deal with COVID-19.
Whetstone said one thing they've learned is the need for consistency in regulating what people are required to do upon entering a store.
“So some will say you must wear a mask, some will say you don't have to wear a mask, some say that you have to wear gloves, some say you don't have to wear gloves, some are providing masks, some are not providing masks. So standardization from store to store to store is key," said Whestone.
Whetstone also said Bayfield is lucky in that it was a very wide main street, so the restaurants can expand their patios and there's still room for parking. He says it had been suggested that they close the road off completely to vehicles and only allow pedestrians on the main street.
One of the challenges is parking on the side streets.
“We have challenges every year with the side street parking and this might even add to that. There was thought parking from the Ag. Park and then they could walk over," added Whetstone.
