Fresh air, for everyone
Doug Ford spent considerable time last week talking about cottages — should people go there in pandemic times, when should they go, how long should they spend, what health precautions should they take …
At first, the Ontario premier seemed inclined to flash a green light for people eager to return to cottage country. Then, after getting an earful from mayors in those areas, he sounded a lot more cautious. Go if you must, he said, but “don’t bring a whole whack of people up” and forget about making Victoria Day the traditional “party weekend.”
It then emerged that Ford snuck up to his own cottage on Easter weekend for an hour or so, just to check on things, days after he had told everyone else to stay close to home.
But never mind. We understand. After eight weeks of hunkering down to beat COVID-19 we’re all champing at the bit for a taste of the great outdoors, even if this frigid May in Ontario feels more like a typical March.
All the talk of cottages, however, missed the mark. For every family with its own special refuge on the lake or in the woods, there are far, far more with no such access to country living.
What about the rest of us? If you keep us indoors for weeks at a time, do we not also yearn for fresh air and a glimpse of the vast spaces that are the special heritage of all Canadians?
Indeed we do, and so the premier was absolutely right to announce on Saturday that most of Ontario’s provincial parks and conservation areas will start opening on Monday, with the rest to follow at the end of the week.
The province had originally decided to close parks and conservation areas until the end of May. But it became quite obvious there was no good reason to forbid the vast majority of Ontarians who aren’t lucky enough to own secondary homes in the prettier parts of the province from enjoying access to the outdoors.
We know COVID-19 is far from beaten; new cases and, sadly, deaths are reported every day. But by now we also know enough to say that the disease isn’t being transmitted by people walking in parks or hiking along rural trails. With some common-sense precautions, such as those announced by Ford, there’s every reason to believe these areas can be safely re-opened.
Other provinces are doing this. British Columbia is opening up its parks on Thursday, including access to trails, beaches, picnic areas and even washroom facilities, with some additional health measures. Alberta has already re-opened vehicle access points to its parks.
These aren’t reckless moves driven by public impatience to get back to “normal.” Reputable public health officials, including B.C.’s renowned Dr. Bonnie Henry, are clear that the risk of catching the COVID-19 virus from someone walking quickly by you is “infinitesimally small.” Even more so, presumably, from someone sharing a hiking trail in a vast provincial park.
Another specialist, Dr. Stan Houston of the University of Alberta, notes that COVID-19 has had its greatest impact overwhelmingly in locations like long-term-care homes, meatpacking plants and cruise ships. “It’s all about enclosed spaces,” he told Global News, not outdoor recreation areas. The risk there is at a minimum. That’s the science of it.
So as we gradually, cautiously emerge from lockdown, governments at all levels should find ways not only to permit people to go outdoors, but to encourage them to do so. Even cautious Toronto changed its tune this past week to put the emphasis on safe distancing outdoors, rather than staying home at all cost.
It’s the right thing to do for our collective health — both physical and mental.