DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard
SCUGOG: With Scugog boasting the second lowest COVID-19 case numbers in Durham Region, Scugog Mayor Bobbie Drew feels very happy about how the township has responded to this pandemic. “I feel very good about how the people of Scugog have responded to this emergency. Our numbers have continued to be low, even though we are getting visitors. That’s a testament to our bylaw officers and our police, and the fact that people want to stay safe. I think our ongoing communications, through social media and print media that we’ve been doing from the Township have paid off. I’m really pleased. We have the second lowest [case] numbers in the Region, and I’m very proud of the people of Scugog,” Mayor Drew told The Standard. Having seen people mostly following the guidelines and rules so far in Scugog, Mayor Drew is not overly concerned about the possibility of the township seeing more visitors from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in the coming weeks. “Of course we know people are going to come from all over the GTA. We experience that all the time, and I don’t think that is going to change. But, what we are experiencing, our bylaw officers and the DRPS (Durham Regional Police) are taking tours and rounds of all of the public spaces in Scugog Township and the results [from] their reports are very favourable, in that people are honouring the guidelines and the emergency regulations, keeping their distance. Sometimes some gentle reminders need to be made, but people have been respectful and friendly, so this has not caused a problem,” she explained. The Mayor expects people will continue to act in the interest of safety and will follow the COVID-19 regulations, as the summer season gets closer. “We’ll be vigilant with the DRPS and our bylaw officers, but our experience so far has been great, and I expect it will continue to be so, and I hope when visitors come to Scugog Township, our parks and our boat launches, that they will continue [to follow the rules] and in the spirit of having a little more freedom they will still respect the guidelines, or they will be reminded, as usual,” Mayor Drew said.