{"id":52764,"date":"2021-07-05T17:40:56","date_gmt":"2021-07-05T21:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/?p=52764"},"modified":"2021-07-05T17:40:56","modified_gmt":"2021-07-05T21:40:56","slug":"cortes-island-stores-celebrate-canada-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canada-info.ca\/en\/cortes-island-stores-celebrate-canada-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Cortes Island stores celebrate Canada Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Roy L Hales<\/p>\n

Cortes Island<\/a> stores celebrated Canada Day, but not because of the nation\u2019s confederation 154 years ago.<\/p>\n

British Columbia began Step 3<\/a>\u00a0of its\u00a0restart plan<\/a>.\u00a0Face masks<\/a> are no longer mandatory. People can gather in larger numbers and go to restaurants.<\/p>\n

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\"Balcony<\/a>

The packed deck of the Floathouse Restaurant on Canada Day. Photo by Roy L Hales.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cYou 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\u2019t here in a regular summer before,\u201d said\u00a0Carol Pierce<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0Floathouse Restaurant<\/a>, when she spoke with CKTZ via ZOOM.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> was just closing. Pierce believed it was \u2018adult swim\u2019 in the pool, but that is another in part of the resort.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is nice to see people out again and everybody seems happy to be out,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"People<\/a>

Early afternoon at Gorge Harbour Marina on a busy Canada Day. Photo by Roy L Hales.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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There had easily been 40 people at the Gorge Harbour Marina when Cortes Radio arrived earlier that afternoon. They were everywhere: in the pool, the parking lot, the General Store. The tables out on the deck of the Floathouse Restaurant were packed with customers. More were waiting to be seated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Cortes Radio had arranged for an interview with General Manager Bill Dougan<\/a> down at the dock but the interview was not possible due to the high volume of Canada Day customers.<\/p>\n

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(Read More<\/a>)<\/div>\n
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Links of Interest:<\/h2>\n