Community Spotlight: Step 3 for St. Thomas and Elgin

It’s been a long time coming for many local establishments, who beginning tomorrow can open up for in person services.

With the province moving into Step 3 of it’s Roadmap to Reopen on Friday, it will be the first time in a while that residents will be able to enjoy a meal inside a restaurant, hit the gym for a workout or even visit a local museum or gallery.

As of 12:01 a.m. on July 16th restaurants throughout St. Thomas and Elgin County can reopen, giving residents the chance to support our local servers and business owners.

Those hoping to take in a movie at Galaxy Cinemas in St. Thomas are in luck, with Black Widow, F9 The Fast Saga, The Boss Baby: Family Business, and Space Jam A New Legacy all hitting the big screen beginning tomorrow.

If a movie isn’t your scene, the St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre will also we welcoming guest back to their building beginning Friday.

Gyms can also reopen with 50 per cent capacity, with many facilities including Fit4less requiring online bookings to ensure capacity limits.

Casinos and bingo halls are also set to reopen, with Jackpot City in St. Thomas announcing that only their TapTix slots machines will be available as of Friday due to capacity limits of 50 per cent.

With only a weeks notice to prepare, some local establishments have postponed their reopening until next week.

This includes the Elgin County Railway Museum, who will open on July 22nd, the Elgin County Heritage Centre opening July 20th and the St. Thomas Seniors Centre who will be offering their fitness classes and VON Meals on Wheels program beginning Monday.

A list of all activities permitted in Step 3 can be found below…

-Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions;

-Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;

-Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted with physical distancing;

-Indoor dining permitted with no limits on the number of patrons per table with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect;

-Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to open subject to a maximum 50 per cent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 15,000 people, whichever is less;

-Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less);

-Essential and non-essential retail with with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;

-Personal care services, including services requiring the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;

-Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors;

-Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at:

up to 50 per cent capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less)

up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).

-Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres; and

-Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs and restobars, permitted up to 25 per cent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less).

Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements remain in place throughout Step Three.