By Pepper Parr
August 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Summer in the city on a quiet Sunday
Whatever heat there is going to be hasn’t arrived yet.
The streets are quiet. Groups gather around the strip malls.
In the downtown core there is a place where the traffic builds – the Centro Market that is tucked in behind the store on Brant Street – accessed off John Street.
Social distancing limits the number of people who can actually shop – a decent line up, seen on the right, with people waiting for their turn.
Life when there is a pandemic hovering over us like a huge dark cloud changes much of what we do.
People line up, waiting for their turn to enter the market while a guitarist plucks at the strings.
At the market it means standing in line – six feet apart, properly masked waiting for someone in the parking lot doing their shopping to leave so that the next person in line can go in.
There is a quiet casualness to it all. A musician plays a guitar quietly.
The back hoe rests – waiting for the construction workers to return on Monday.
Yards to the south of the market there is a massive back hoe parked for the weekend – waiting for construction workers to show up on Monday to continue with the excavation of the site that will see The Gallery, a 24 story development that will, when completed, change not only the look but also the feel of the downtown core.
Just to the north of the market – the Bentley, another condominium takes its place. As high as it is – it doesn’t feel as if the building is looming over the street even though it is flush with the side walk.
None of it seems to change the feel of the market in a parking lot.
Produce is set out on table on on the tail gates of vehicles.
What is missing is a spot where one can sit at a table with a checkered table cloth drinking good coffee, perhaps a double espresso and a croissant.
Can one hope?
Love going to the market but from a visual count it looks as if there were 9 people and two of those are with cameras. Not exactly a situation to encourage more store holders. Why such a line up? Who determines social distancing numbers?
Editor’s note: There were 14 people in line waiting to enter the market area. There was a facilitator keeping count. This was community taking care of community. What more could you ask for?
I like Centro Market but in comparison to the Burlington Farmers Market which I know is bigger, why are so few people allowed in?
YOU MUST HAVE MISSED THE PAPER THAT DAY: https://burlingtongazette.ca/farmers-market-to-open-on-wednesday-june-10th/
I was coming back from Hamilton this morning, and in the centre square on King Street, a choir of Black women was singing, “What the world needs now, is love sweet love”… So fitting as well.
Nice read. Thank you.