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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 11 ,2 02 0 | 4 Gary Carr Regional Chair Meetings at Halton Region Regional Council meetings are taking place through web conferencing until further notice. Videos will be posted to halton.ca. NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE During COVID-19, many local farmers have adapted their businesses to offer online purchases, delivery and curbside pick-up. Now is a great time to support them by purchasing fresh produce and goods from them which also helps kick-start our local economy. I encourage you to use our online Simply Local map to learn about what is offered at farms and markets near you. Let's show our agricultural community that we are here for them. To access our online Simply Local map, visit halton.ca or use the OneHalton app. Shop local to support Halton farmers Please contact us, as soon as possible, if you have any accessibility needs at Halton Region events ormeetings. 06 11 20 For more information about this project or other Regional improvement projects: • visit halton.ca; • sign up to receive email notice and updates; or • email accesshalton@halton.ca or call 311. Water andWastewater Main Replacement on Prince Charles Drive, Town of Halton Hills PR-3212Project number: Prince Charles Drive from Delrex Boulevard to Rexway Drive is closed as of Monday, June 1, 2020 at 9 a.m. until Friday, December 11, 2020 at 7 p.m. Street access for local residents will be maintained at all times. Driveway access may be limited. Emergency vehicle access will be maintained. the Downtown Acton BIA's co-ordinator last year. "We're going through a hard patch, there's no denying it. But there's a possi- bility of a better future too," he said. "There are a lot of resilient businesses; some have been open for decades, and some have gone through a couple reces- sions. Let's give credit to our small busi- nesses, which can be flexible and adapt really well." Ennin said while the assistance pro- grams from the upper levels of govern- ment for small businesses have been help- ful, he'd like to see more offered that doesn't involve loans. "Business owners do not want to take that (loans) on their books," he noted. "We are definitely in need of more support for the businesses." Support from the community will be key to the future success of downtown stores, says Nancy Wilkes, who's operated Acton Optical in the core for 15 years. "Everybody has been hard hit by this. If people haven't yet visited the smaller businesses in town, now is the time to do it," she said. "This is our passion, this is our livelihood, and we (small-business owners) are very educated in what we do. We love our downtown and we want it to continue to thrive." Wilkes said Acton Optical took a "fi- nancial hit" from being closed for 11 weeks but managed to stay in touch with clients during that time through social media and emergency appointments. The store reopened its doors on June 2 with new safety measures for customers in place, such as the requirement to wear a mask. With many downtown Acton business- es needing in-person interaction to deliv- er their services, Hilson acknowledged they've been the hardest hit in a world where many things are being moved on- line. "It has been very challenging, but there is a bit of light at the end of the tun- nel now compared to a month ago," he said. Among those fortunate enough to tran- sition their business to a digital model is downtown Georgetown's Royal Academy of Arts and Education, which offers mu- sic classes, art lessons and academic coaching. Following the widespread pandemic closures, founder Connie Ward said her team was able to transform the academy from bricks and mortar to a completely virtual classroom in a matter of seven days. While she hopes to eventually get back to in-class lessons, Ward said she'd like to continue offering virtual sessions as well to those families that find the online plat- form beneficial. "One thing we've learned about through this is the power of choice," she said. "If we give clients choices, I think that will be a really healthy model moving forward for the future viability of busi- nesses, particularly in the downtown core." Ward said she's heartened by the amal- gamation of efforts between the Town, chamber of commerce, BIAs and business owners to help the local economy survive the pandemic. "In coming together, we've evolved in many ways, and that evolution is going to get us through this," she said. "The com- munity at large had also really rallied to show up. I'm hopeful." STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Down- town businesses in Georgetown and Acton have endured their share of challenges, with the pandemic being the most recent, ongoing impact. Local business owners say community support now is critical. NEWS Continued from page 1 MANY BUSINESSES TRANSFORMING DURING PANDEMIC Mary Johnston, of The Way We Were, lets a small group of customers into her boutique after a brief wait. Johnston only allows five shoppers into her shop at a time. Graham Paine/Torstar "It has been very challenging, but there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel now compared to a month ago." - Alex Hilson, Downtown Acton BIA co-ordinator