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Reopening of Cochrane personal wellness services met with excitement and caution

“They’re resilient they’re working really, really hard to stay afloat in these times,” Korman said. “They have a sense of optimism they’ll make it through.”

COCHRANE— Personal and wellness services were once again able to open their doors to the public on Monday.

A slight easement for Alberta COVID-19 public health measures was announced Thursday (Jan. 15)— Outdoor social gatherings of groups of 10 individuals or less became permitted, personal and wellness services were allowed to reopen by appointment only, and up to 20 people were allowed to attend a funeral service beginning Monday (Jan. 18), said Health Minister Tyler Shandro.

“We are actively looking at what restrictions we can ease in the weeks ahead,” Shandro said. “We need everyone's cooperation to stay within the rules— Don’t bend the rules to fit you, they’re not designed to be flexible.”

Flirt Cosmetics Studio and Brow Bar owners Sheri Meyer and Ciara Ramsden were grateful to open their doors to clients and staff who were excited to be back in the studio.

Ramsden said Flirt was better prepared for the latest round of shutdowns because they could draw on past experiences. 

“We know what to expect now as far as all the COVID-protocols and the cleanliness and safety,” Ramsden said. “The first time we were opening there was a lot of anxiety— Everyone was scared to get COVID themselves, but now we know our protocols do work and there’s no need for our staff or our clients to be worried in the studio because we’ve shown that there’s no transmission happening in our space.”

Meyer noted one of the most important lessons they learned in 2020 is the need for Flirt to have a strong retail base. They are working to expand their retail offerings given the needs they have seen in the community, while also helping the shop survive the difficult economic challenges created by COVID-19.

“It’s definitely forced us to be extraordinarily creative and think in ways we probably wouldn’t have thought had we just carried on with no pandemic,” Ramsden said. “We’ve gotten resourceful and scrappy— Every time a shutdown happens, we get a little more confident in how to deal with it.”

Cochrane & District Chamber of Commerce president Kelly Sinclair said the most recent provincial lockdowns have created a financial strain for many local businesses.

“Initially what I heard was it was OK, the businesses were able to do a lot extra in those last few days in December before they were closed,” Sinclair said. “But, as that shut down increased over weeks of time it certainly was frustrating for a lot of businesses that were closed.”

The Chamber of Commerce was pleased to see the lifting of restrictions for personal and wellness services. The early opening also provided needed optimism by demonstrating there was an end date to some health measures.

Sinclair added local support has been critical in helping businesses stay afloat.

“That is really, really strong and that has been helping business through this challenging time,” Sinclair said. “We saw a huge showing of support over the Christmas season.”

A joint campaign between the Cochrane & District Chamber of Commerce and the Cochrane Tourism Association encouraged the community to shop local and commit to spending dollars within the community— In less than two weeks they had more than $37,000 committed to local spending.

It is estimated that between 64 to 67 per cent of money spent in a local area stays in the community, Sinclair said.

For now, the hope is businesses have been able to weather the most challenging part of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sinclair said, cautioning the future is always unpredictable.

“I think that hope is a really important emotion to hold onto now— Everybody has a choice in how they look at the situation that is happening,” Sinclair said. “Those that can remain optimistic and hopeful and positive are the ones that are going to fare better.”

Shears to You Inc. owner Corrie Lorne said she was grateful the easement of measures allowed her to open her doors earlier than expected.

Shears to You first opened at the end of the first lockdowns in Alberta on June 4, 2020.

“I’ve made a decision that this isn’t going to move me or shake me,” Lorne said. “Right now, I’m focusing day-to-day. If I can make it to the end of my lease and still not shut down then I can make a design on where I go from there.”

Lorne used the Christmas holidays to relax, she said, but her anxiety grew when the health measures were originally extended from Jan. 14 to Jan. 21.

The extension was frustrating, she said, because she explored all government subsidies and incentives available only to find out she qualifies for zero support because she opened during the pandemic.

It was a relief when it was announced clients would be able to visit hair salons by appointment starting on Jan. 18.

“When they said we were opening, I was just ecstatic,” Lorne said. 

Her first day back in the shop on Tuesday (Jan. 19) was fully booked— The rest of the week looks to be just as busy.

“My clients as soon as they found out I was open they were calling,” Lorne said.

While steps need to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus, Lorne said, she worries the impact on the economy has been extremely harmful to some people.

Business Development Manager and Economic Task Force leader Mike Korman said his team has connected with many businesses in the community who are working hard to innovate and adapt to Alberta’s public health measures.

“They’re resilient they’re working really, really hard to stay afloat in these times,” Korman said. “They have a sense of optimism they’ll make it through.”

While the town has seen some businesses close due to the pandemic and the struggling Alberta economy, Korman said, over the last six-months Cochrane has seen an increase in businesses in comparison to those that have shut their doors.

The opening of personal service shops by appointment only was a great relief for many in the community, he said, but there are still concerns given restaurants are currently only open for delivery and take-out.

Korman is hopeful the latter part of 2021 will see a resurgence in the local economy.

“People are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel,” Korman said. “I hope that we reach the numbers we need to in order to free up some of these restrictions.”

 
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