By Roy L Hales
Cortes Island stores celebrated Canada Day, but not because of the nation’s confederation 154 years ago.
British Columbia began Step 3 of its restart plan. Face masks are no longer mandatory. People can gather in larger numbers and go to restaurants.
The packed deck of the Floathouse Restaurant on Canada Day. Photo by Roy L Hales.
“You can definitely tell that things are changing. The last couple of weeks it has been a steady uptick. This weekend in particular, starting yesterday. We were closed for the heatwave, but it was like somebody flicked a switch. Everybody is out and there are people moving around. I would say it is almost business as usual. I have no comparison. I wasn’t here in a regular summer before,” said Carol Pierce of the Floathouse Restaurant, when she spoke with CKTZ via ZOOM.
She estimated there were 50 people in the restaurant and another 50-60 listening to a live performance in the lawn below. The Gorge Harbour Store was just closing. Pierce believed it was ‘adult swim’ in the pool, but that is another in part of the resort.
“It is nice to see people out again and everybody seems happy to be out,” she said.
Early afternoon at Gorge Harbour Marina on a busy Canada Day. Photo by Roy L Hales.
Cortes Radio had arranged for an interview with General Manager Bill Dougan down at the dock but the interview was not possible due to the high volume of Canada Day customers.