Malls preparing for reopenings
Food courts, washrooms will be altered, barriers being installed
There’s no word yet on when Ontario shopping centres will reopen, but some Niagara malls are already prepping for the day they get the go-ahead.
Social distancing stickers on floors, fewer bathroom stalls, spaced out tables in food courts and plexiglass in individual stores are some of the changes patrons may see when malls finally reopen amidst COVID-19.
“We’re currently working on ramping up and making sure we have all the proper signage for social distancing and health and safety measures in place and ready to go whenever the government gives the green light,” said Katherine Roux Groleau, spokesperson for Ivanhoé Cambridge which runs Outlet Collection at Niagara.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake site is the largest open-air outlet mall in Canada but Roux Groleau said social distancing will have to be maintained outdoors just like it will be in the company’s indoor malls.
That means decals will be placed on cement telling people to maintain two-metre distances at all times and one-way pedestrian traffic lanes will be instituted. She said there will be more people on site to direct traffic and make sure those safety measures are maintained at all times.
Hand sanitizers are being placed in strategic locations and high-traffic areas and common areas, such as doors and handles, will be cleaned more frequently, she said.
She said some bathroom stalls will be unavailable to ensure social distancing and furniture in common areas will be spaced out.
Guest services may add plexiglass for the safety of employees and visitors.
“We’re really working around the clock making sure that we’re implementing all directives and measures imposed by the government of Ontario,” she said.
“We’re going to be ready to implement additional measures should it be the case as needed as the situation unfolds moving forward, really, really keeping a close eye. Safety is our No. 1 priority.”
In Welland, Seaway Mall president Michael Belcastro said hours will likely be reduced and it likely won’t have the full roster of stores open.
“I’m pretty convinced if they allow malls to open that not all stores will be open at the same time,” he said.
“Even though they’re going to say you can open, it’s still going
to be staggered, which is probably a good thing so everybody can get a handle of what’s going on. This is all new to all of us.”
The mall has purchased social distancing signage and hand sanitizing stations for all entrances.
A lot of those are already in place because two banks and Dollarama are open in the mall. Belcastro said because those services are open, maintenance staff are used to sanitizing everything more than they had to, including doors and elevators.
The mall has removed all benches in hallways and its seating from the food court. Like Outlet Collection, Seaway Mall is looking at adding arrow decals on the floor for one-way traffic and to maintain social distancing.
Belcastro said the mall has received a lot of calls from its retailers asking where they can get plexiglass for their counters. He said he thinks that’s going to be the new norm in every store.
It is trying to help the small independents with supplies.
“We just want to make sure everybody’s ready, but it’s tough,” he said, adding there are still a lot of unknowns and opening guidelines are changing frequently.
Questions like whether they will be able to put tables in the food court are still to be answered.
The Pen Centre’s marketing director, Helen Edwards, said its staff is having conversations about re-opening but have no details yet on what that will look like.