Kawartha Lakes taking cautious approach to reopening arenas

DAN CEARNS Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: The City of Kawartha Lakes is going to be opening up their arenas this month. Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham provided the update, during a recent telephone press conference. “We’ve targeted for the Lindsay arena, for both pads, to open on August 17th. We do have [enough] bookings to open those pads. Little Britain, Emily and Fenelon Falls will be the next three targeted to open. We’ll begin [preparing] those to open based on demand. We have good reservations through our system,” Mayor Letham told reporters. “The Woodville and Manvers arenas are the other two; once the other four have filled up with confirmed bookings, we’ll be starting [preparing] those, probably a little bit later, early to mid October.” Mayor Letham explained the municipality is taking a “slow and steady pace” to reopening services and is reopening arenas as needed. In a previous presentation to council, CAO Ron Taylor said the city is targeting to open the Little Britain, Emily and Fenelon Falls arena ice pads in September, subject to demand, with Woodville and Manvers arenas opening possibly in late September or October. “I would discourage the opening up of all of our arenas and community centres in the immediate term. I really think we need to look at what restraints are imposed both on the public and us as the operator and provider,” CAO Taylor told Councillors.