The flags were raised Friday at the Port of Orillia to kick off another boating season.
Officials with the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce joined local dignitaries to raise the Canadian flag as well as Ontario’s, Orillia’s and the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons’ flags.
“Hopefully, this means we’re looking at the light at the end of the tunnel,” chamber president Bill Ecklund said of the flag raising, which is often regarded locally as the unofficial start of summer.
The season is shaping up to be a popular one at the port. Allan Lafontaine, executive director of the chamber and harbour master for the port, said there has been plenty of interest among the boating community.
“My sense is we’re going to be busy once we get to the next stage (of the province’s reopening plan),” he said. “People miss the Port of Orillia and they miss the downtown.”
He noted many slips have been reserved for the Canada Day weekend, and boaters are excited to visit the port now that the Trent-Severn Waterway has opened up, with record sales for seasonal passes.
“This is the most beautiful spot on the Trent-Severn,” Lafontaine said. “We’re called the jewel of the Trent for a reason.”
As was the case last year, precautions are in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. That includes making slips available that allow for physical distancing.
The chamber, which manages the port, is looking at ways to cater to boaters. When certain services are allowed to start up again, there could be an opportunity for port visitors to order food and have it delivered to their boats, or even have local massage therapists and hairstylists or barbers provide their services at the port.
Local businesses wanting to discuss potential partnerships are invited to contact the chamber.
When boaters return to the port, they’re in for a surprise, Lafontaine said. Many of them frequent downtown businesses, but it’s been a while since they’ve been at the port and they might not expect to see the number of the new shops and restaurants that have opened despite the pandemic.
“The lack of boaters has hurt our economy,” he said, adding he hopes to see an improvement this year.
The flags at the port are flying at half-staff in recognition of the recent discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
More information about the port, including its COVID-19 protocols, can be found here.
