COVID worries rise for Wolfe Islanders as tourist season approaches

With the typical tourist season approaching, a Wolfe Island business owner is hoping more can be done to curb the number of tourists visiting the Island heading into a second pandemic summer.

“We have an unusually high number of at-risk individuals, meaning they’re older or health compromised,” Mike Bromley, owner of ‘Signs from Above’ said. “Inviting people over into this community they will interact with these [at-risk individuals].”

Bromley adds that last summer, tourists would take the ferry to Wolfe Island only to find that all the usual go-to places were shut down for the season, leaving them to wander around Marysville businesses to ‘kill time.’ He’s worried that as the pandemic enters the variants phase, it could wreak havoc on the island.

“I just think there’s a disconnect between the reality of the health situation which is abundantly clear in the news on a daily basis,” Bromley said.

Frontenac Islands Mayor Denis Doyle says there isn’t much more that can be done to limit people visiting. Last summer, posters were put up by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) advising local travelling only.

“These are public transportation systems, you can’t stop people from getting on [the ferry],” Doyle said.

“We’re kind of unique, because we are an island unto ourselves, it would be very easy to restrict access to only those that are vaccinated, you could use just a couple of military guys at the dock to do this,” Bromley said.

Bromley shared a lengthy Facebook post echoing his sentiments which has garnered a lot of positive feedback. However, Mayor Denis Doyle is hopeful that the Island can begin going back to its old ways.

“We’re hoping certain things can open. The big thing in the Village of Marysville that wasn’t open last year was the Art Gallery. It’s always a very popular place.” Doyle said. “But the group that organizes that are hoping to open up under some safe way of operation.”