Smiles on faces were nearly as abundant as the Family Day sunshine with many Victorians taking to the streets on the first long weekend since the easing of province-wide COVID-19 restrictions last week.
Some safety measures remain, such as wearing masks at indoor public places and proof of vaccination being required at restaurants, bars and nightclubs. But people have quickly embraced a return to gathering with others.
“I am so happy that we can finally go out and enjoy a meal with friends and get to all sit at the same table,” said Kate Le Souef, who was visiting Victoria with her husband and two children, 2 and 4. “The last time we went out, we had to sit at two tables.”
Le Souef and her family, who live in Vancouver, were on Government Street where they were taking a break enjoying ice-cream cones while hanging out with local friends.
Jennifer Robinson, owner of Adventure Clothing on lower Yates Street said she had a great weekend. “It has been super brisk for us, with many locals thinking of travelling overseas again,” she said.
Although she faced supply-chain issues she “made it work,” by sourcing merchandise from new suppliers. “It has been an opportunity to buy local and give smaller companies a try.”
Some of those thinking of travelling again include John and Valerie Simpson, who have lived in Victoria for the past 30 years. With the easing of restrictions, they hope to pack up for a holiday destination in the fall, something they used to do every other year before the pandemic.
They ate dinner at the Cook Street location of Pizzeria Prima Strada.
“There were a lot more people than normal — but we still felt comfortable. They were still spaced out at the bar, where we ate, but there wasn’t a lot of movement between tables,” said John.
Their optimism and outlook tie in with what Roberta Glennon, owner of Roberta’s Hats, has observed since the easing of restrictions.
“People seem more upbeat with many coming in looking for summery hats,” said Glennon, who celebrates her store’s 30th anniversary this year. “This weekend we have seen a lot of younger people on the streets, with lineups at the Irish Times and Pagliacci’s in the evenings.”
She said that people seem happier and friendlier, with a “we made it” attitude.
Mark Sweeney, who has lived downtown since he moved here from Ajax, Ont., six years ago, said downtown seemed more lively over the weekend.
He really enjoys Government Street being closed to traffic as it reminds him of some European cities.
“It has added variety to the area, resulting with more people out on the streets,” said Sweeney, who was sitting with Conan, his friendly two-year-old French bulldog. “There is a feeling in the air that things are finally going back to normalcy — that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
A business that did not report a difference in sales volume over the weekend was one that never saw a drop in demand during the pandemic due to the public’s desire to be outdoors. People who couldn’t travel abroad purchased outdoor clothing and equipment suitable for local climatic conditions. “The outdoor retail industry is perhaps unique as demand for apparel and gear has remained strong throughout the pandemic,” said David Keay, general manager of Robinson’s Outdoor Store on Broad Street. “We did have more people today than a typical Monday only because it is a holiday, with whole families shopping.”
He said that his challenge throughout the pandemic has not been the number of customers he attracts, but restocking his shelves due to ongoing supply chain issues.
“We got busy during COVID-19, but with normal travel returning, we expect to get busier still.”
parrais@timescolonist.com
