'A better kind of work': A look back at the first weekend of Step 1 in Windsor-Essex
Employees across all sectors gladly went back to work or welcomed extra customers for the first time in two months.
“It is more work but it is a better kind of work,” says Lauren Hare, the general manager of The Dotte restaurant in East Windsor.
“It’s (patio service) a lot more enjoyable, to me, (because) we all love interacting with our the public and our neighbourhood,” she says.
The first weekend of patio service was such a success, The Dotte is now hiring for all positions so they can start booking their entire patio and tent table section.
“I was so happy to be able to serve people again,” Hare says.
Meantime in Essex reopening to customers came just as staff were at “a breaking point” according to Home Hardware owner Kimberly Seguin-Gauthier.
“To keep up with the demand of every single customer having to phone, pickup curbside, or online order. It’s been a nice refresher, not having the phones ringing 24-7,” says Seguin-Gauthier.
In Amherstburg, the first Open Air Weekend was a success, at least according to Matthew Johnston, owner and head chef of Artisan Grill.
“Now everybody’s going to be back to work and making money,” says Johnston.
“I would say the only downfall is people wanted to stay all night.”
Back in Windsor, the City’s bylaw enforcement didn’t issue any pandemic tickets and parking enforcement wasn’t overly active, even though usage was up.
“Our parking payments went up 18 per cent,” says Bill Kralovensky, manager of parking enforcement. “That’s people parking at meters and in our surface lots.”
The parking garages meantime saw 20 per cent more traffic this past weekend than the weekend before.
And yet, users were complying as the city only issued two additional tickets then the weekend before reopening.
“So that means people are getting the word, and paying for the spots,” adds Kralovensky.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.