April Cower Brings May Glower?

This week marked the end of April and signs of Spring were everywhere. With mostly cloudy days, working from home was no drag for me with a midday break to get lunch from local restaurants. The early evenings often had brilliant sunshine. Sometimes I do venture out again to catch a few rays, but usually I had an afternoon nap. I noticed that more shuttered coffee shops and other eateries were re-opening. Not sure if it was boredom or economic necessity (May rent is coming) that forced their hand.

During my walk through Little Italy and Kensington Market, I saw numerous vacant businesses. A few were expected: "boring" long-time tenants like laundromats and general stores that could no longer sustain enough business in gentrified areas. One was a simply a mistake: an attempt to replace a Korean restaurant with an old-school breakfast diner. But there were several For Lease or papered over storefronts that were a surprise. They may not be directly caused by COVID-19 but it feels like the shutdown was the final nail. Eventual tenants for condos being built along College at  Manning Ave and Concord Ave may not find the happening neighbourhoods touted in their brochure.

People stood in line for the LCBO and bakery Prairie Boy; wine and bread: essential items since forever. I've been spending more time in the parks and so have other people. Previously, it was folks with dogs who could excuse their presence despite the city ban. But kicking around a ball or throwing frisbee at Trinity Bellwoods was surely flouting by-laws. With the nice weather and the longer days, those stay-at-home sentiments had less hold on people.

I preferred those "outlaws" over the bikers (literal not cyclists) at Dufferin Park. They were vocal in their disbelief about the pandemic. Just before then, I was at Pam's Roti picking up my lunch. Another customer was loudly scoffing at the news reports, obviously just "conspiracies", currently showing on the TV above the counter. The store-owner and I wore similarly deadpan looks. We both had the same thoughts: "Don't encroach on my personal space because you don't believe in the news." Between "pandemic fatigue" and no-big-deal unbelievers, subsequent waves may impact just as badly.