Alex Kurial
Local Journalism Initiative

Community halls in St. Clair Township will remain closed for at least another month following consultation with volunteers who run the buildings.
“The volunteers have expressed they do not want the responsibility that comes with opening, such as added cleaning and policing their users and guests to ensure they are safe and acting according to COVID-19 regulations,” says Director of Community Services Kendall Lindsay in a letter to council during their August meeting.
The alternative would be to have township staff perform the enhanced safety measures. Lindsay says this falls outside their usual duties. The issue will be revisited at the Oct. 5 council meeting.
St. Clair residents will also have to wait until at least next month to use the pool at the Mooretown Sports Complex. The pool is scheduled to open on Oct. 19 with several restrictions. This includes limited change room time, no spectators aside from a parent/guardian assisting their child with lessons, COVID screening, contact tracing, and mandatory masks in all areas aside from the pool deck and in the water.
Township residents may see some recreation return this month though in the form of museums.
In July, council decided to hold off on opening the Moore and Sombra Museums until Lambton County had reached Stage 3. Council will now talk with museum workers and make a reopening decision at the next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
If St. Clair’s museums do reopen they will join a number of other Lambton County museums scheduled to open soon. The Lambton Heritage Museum will be the first of these on Sept. 2. The Oil Museum of Canada will open on Sept. 9, with the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery following on Oct. 2. The Lambton County Archives also open by appointment on Sept. 9.
Various safety measures will be in place at all museums, and include altered hours, timed ticket entry, contact tracing and mask use where required by law.