Dear editor:

I am a local business owner and work in tourism, and have been at a standstill due to COVID. I am trying to promote local tourism and business. 

I am getting tired of the nonsense that the town is trying to pull in regard to Queen Street. We should all be coming together to support our local businesses, however instead we are coming up with model after model trying it out for a week and not providing any consistency for retailers, restaurants, tourists and locals alike.

It is causing so much confusion and making businesses suffer, not allowing them to adapt or see any profit come in.

The set up of downtown NOTL this past weekend was so uninviting, with the fencing to widen the pedestrian areas and still have traffic attempting to go through. It looked like a “no-go” zone rather then an inviting space for locals and tourists.

The full pedestrian street on weekends (with Queen shut down) as it was previously was a much better solution. Why are we trying to recreate a wheel that has been in effect in most of the world for decades?

Look at what a typical European city looks like, even the small towns have pedestrian areas that work beautifully and they are fully shut down all year around. Businesses have adapted to that and are making money!

Can we not learn from what they have done, instead of trying to put in place ugly fencing and “Danger, Keep Out” signs at the entrances which scare off both locals and tourists?

 I have to say, I went to Queen last week for the first time with my kids in over a year and it was amazing to see everyone out supporting local. I have gone to Queen with my husband and friends to hang out on the patios and it’s been wonderful.

Let’s not forget that even with positive measures, businesses/restaurants are losing thousands every day because they can only take 30 per cent capacity.

Proper signage is needed, consistency, vendors and restaurants should be allowed to take up parking spots/sidewalks for their goods to entice those passing through during COVID (there are enough empty spots every weekend around town from what I’ve observed so far). 

Aga Tempelaars-Goik

NOTL