Two popular Midland gathering spots are shutting their doors due to COVID-19.
Askennonia Senior Centre and the Midland Public Library both closed earlier today and hope to reopen early next month.
“We are closing effective at noon today,” Askennoia executive director Judy Contin said. “We’ll be closed until April 6 and then we’ll reevaluate.”
The library, meanwhile, closed at 6 p.m. and will follow the same timeline for reopening as the senior’s centre.
Crystal Bergstrome, the library’s CEO and chief librarian, said the decision to close was made in the interest of the “shared health of our staff, patrons and the community.”
Bergstrome said the library is following the lead of other public institutions and will continue monitoring the situation carefully with municipal and local health authorities.
“We’re closing for everyone’s safety,” Bergstrome said, noting the library will follow a modified service schedule when it does reopen.
Those service modifications will include the suspension of library programming, room bookings and non-essential services such as public computer and coffee station access, new interlibrary loan requests and access to ‘high-touch’ items like toys, kits and puzzles.
For Askennoia, meanwhile, March is a particularly busy month with two major events that will now be postponed until later in the year.
It’s annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration (Tuesday) normally draws 250 area residents while it’s annual general meeting and luncheon slated for the following Wednesday March 25. Those attending these events are encouraged to keep their tickets for a later date.
Contin said the closure decision was made during a board meeting earlier Friday and coincides with the school closures announced Thursday by the province.
“I think they’ll understand,” Contin said when asked how the centre’s more than 1,300 members will feel about the closure.
“Even this morning, our attendance was starting to dwindle. The health and wellness of our members, guests and employees has always been the highest priority for Askennonia.
“We want to reduce the amount of social contact and are trying to get that bell curve lowered,” Contin said, referring to the dramatic increase in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks across the country.
Contin, who noted some groups might decide to continue meeting outside of the centre’s confines, said Askennonia is closely monitoring the situation, both through updates from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and the province.
