(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Sheldon Spackman

Keeping Two Metres Apart

Sylvan Lake closing Lakeshore Drive on weekends to create more physical distancing space

Jul 30, 2020 | 1:00 PM

With the Heritage Day Long Weekend almost here, the Town of Sylvan Lake is reminding would-be visitors to please respect public health orders and local bylaws.

On Monday, town council approved a motion to close Lakeshore Drive to vehicle traffic from 46 Street to 50 Street every weekend throughout the month of August with the goal of providing more space for physical distancing and a better visitor experience.

“We need to try something, and this may work, or it may not,” says Communications Officer Joanne Gaudet. “We’re pretty optimistic that it will, certainly allowing for the lineups to kind of extend more out into the roadway to clear up some of the congestion as people are waiting to get into a restaurant.”

While the closure is in effect Lakeshore Drive restaurants may operate sidewalk cafes on Saturdays and Sundays until 10:00 p.m. with a Town permit.

“We know a number of business owners were pleased to hear about it,” adds Gaudet. “There’s definitely an approval process, but our administration will be able to fast-track that as well, so that on the weekends, those businesses can put up some form of sidewalk café.”

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After this weekend, Gaudet says Town administration will again assess the health and safety needs of the waterfront and, where required, take additional measures to mitigate potential health and safety risks associated with an influx of visitors to the community.

“But right now, this is just to be able to allow for that pedestrian traffic that seems to be a little difficult when you’ve got of course two-way traffic going by, and then you’ve got increased crowds up and down the sidewalks,” says Gaudet. “This way people can come and go freely. And again, when people are lining up at restaurants, they can do so without blocking other people’s access to other locations.”

In terms of waterfront crowd control measures enacted in recent weeks, Gaudet says most people have been respectful when asked to give a bit more space.

“But we have run into a few incidents where there’s a group of 30 or 40 where we ask them to simply split up into two groups, and people are happy to do that, they understand.”

The Town of Chestermere, a lakefront community near Calgary, will begin charging out-of-town visitors an admission fee to visit their beach areas. However, Gaudet doesn’t see that as a feasible option in Sylvan Lake.

“It’s not even an apples to apples comparison,” she remarks. “Our waterfront extends well-beyond two kilometres linear, whereas the area around Chestermere, to section off the beach is a little more-easy, and it doesn’t necessarily impede traffic to lakefront businesses as well, which is a huge consideration, given that they all rely on our tourism industry to some extent.”

Gaudet also notes Sylvan Lake already has its Visitor Pay Parking program in place for out-of-town users.

Above all, Gaudet says that keeping two metres apart is the most critical thing they’re asking those visiting the waterfront to do at this time.

“It’s the best defense that we have against getting sick and protecting others. So be serious about it and maintain that space and wear a mask where you’re unable to do so.”