Ronald McDonald's South Central Ontario location shared how flu-season has disrupted their operations and encouraged community to take steps to protect their health
Hamilton hospitals are currently experiencing issues related to over capacity. In an interview with Global News, Hamilton Health Sciences shared that the McMaster Children's Hospital reached 112 per cent capacity on Oct. 19. Furthermore, they shared the rise in admissions had led to the cancellation of their pre-scheduled care.
A press release from Public Health Ontario, shared on Nov. 3, indicated they were expecting there to be an increase in COVID-19 between Oct. 29 to Nov. 11, 2023 based on data from the previous two weeks.
Moreover, Public Health Ontario's Respiratory Virus Tool indicated a gradual increase in cases since September 2023.
This recent spike in flu and COVID-19 cases directly impacts pediatric patients residing at Ronald McDonald House, which provide families a place to stay together while their children undergo treatment at local hospitals.
The South Central Ontario location, located right beside McMaster University's main campus and McMaster's Children's Hospital, provides accommodations primarily for those in the Niagara, Halton, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph and Branford regions.
Mario De Divitiis, chief executive officer at Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario, shared that often children that stay at their location are critically ill and unable to be serviced at their local hospitals. The house allows parents of patients, who are usually not local to Hamilton, to be able to more easily visit their children and get the proper treatment.
Divitiis has noticed the uptick in cases, but he also noted that it typically occurs for them every year around this time. However, rising flu and COVID-19 cases can restrict their ability to admit patients as per usual. As demand increases, accommodation becomes more difficult.
“Yes, we've become accustomed to [over capacity] over the last few years. Unfortunately, there's no great way to prepare for it. Outside of educating the community around how to practice healthy habits,” said Diviitiis
Yes, we've become accustomed to [over capacity] over the last few years. Unfortunately, there's no great way to prepare for it. Outside of educating the community around how to practice healthy habits.
Mario De Divitiis, chief executive officer, Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario
Divitiis also shared that their staff is has been impacted by the rise in flu cases, with members falling ill with COVID and other flu-like sicknesses, which also greatly impairs their organization's ability to serve the patients and their families.
“When it does get overloaded, when it does get compromised, you're risking staff getting sick, you're risking staff to do more with the resources that they have. It's not a good recipe,” said Divitiis.
Divitiis believed the best way to manage the influx of flu cases is to educate the community. That includes emphasis on not touching one’s own eyes, mouth, nose and ears, as these are the most common areas of transmission.
Additionally, he mentioned that it’s important to check in with one’s self and ask if you’re current state of health would jeopardize those around you. If you feel that the answer leans towards no, to make sure you are taking the extra steps to protect yourself and those around you.
Would you visit your grandmother or grandfather this way? If you're that sick, would you be comfortable to give them a hug?. . . If you're not feeling that way, then maybe it's best to take a couple of extra measures by staying home that day if you're not feeling well.
Mario De Divitiis, chief executive officer, Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario
Ultimately, as respiratory sicknesses, including COVID-19 and flu, increase in circulation in the McMaster community, everyone is encouraged to do their best to mitigate transmission.
McMaster experts comment on anticipated spike in COVID-19 cases and discuss how students can stay safe
Many Canadian COVID-19 experts have recently raised concerns surrounding a potential spike in COVID-19 cases on university campuses.
While case counts have been relatively low for many months, over the last few weeks, the country has already started see an increase in COVID-19 cases. This uptick includes 10 Canadian regions displaying an increase in cases and Hamilton COVID-19 data reporting an increase in test positivity over the last month.
Additionally, two new COVID-19 variants, EG.5 and BA.2.86, have recently emerged and are also suspected to have contributed to the uptick in cases.
Dr. Manali Mukherjee, an affiliate scientist with the research institute at St. Joeseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, assistant professor with the McMaster University Department of Medicine and long-COVID researcher, shared her thoughts on the predicted resurgence.
“COVID has never really left us; it's just the incidence has gone down. With more mingling, more people coming in, we are expecting a spike. We are already hearing a number of cases of friends, family, near and dear ones in community, who are testing positive for COVID. So, it is not a surprise,” she said.
"COVID has never really left us; it's just the incidence has gone down. With more mingling, more people coming in, we are expecting a spike. We are already hearing a number of cases of friends, family, near and dear ones in community, who are testing positive for COVID. So, it is not a surprise."
Dr. Manali Mukherjee, affiliate scientist, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton research institute
Dr. Matthew Miller, director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research and Canada Research chair in viral pandemics, explained that the back-to-school season commonly marks a spike in other respiratory pathogens, including influenza.
Miller explained that these pathogens also pose a threat alongside COVID-19 upon our return to campus. Staying up to date with booster vaccines and seasonal flu vaccines will help relieve a burden off our healthcare system.
“If we look back to last year, one of the biggest stresses that our healthcare system faced was the co-circulation of [respiratory syncytial virus] and influenza. What that really stressed was our pediatric hospitals. Obviously, that's very worrisome because we want to make sure those hospitals have lots of capacity to deal with children who are sick for other reasons.” said Miller.
"If we look back to last year, one of the biggest stresses that our healthcare system faced was the co-circulation of [respiratory syncytial virus] and influenza. What that really stressed was our pediatric hospitals. Obviously, that's very worrisome because we want to make sure those hospitals have lots of capacity to deal with children who are sick for other reasons."
Dr. Matthew Miller, Director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research
The availability of fall COVID-19 booster vaccines has not been confirmed yet, but Miller said it is likely they will be made available alongside and can be co-administered with seasonal flu vaccines.
Regarding the severity of the spike, both Mukherjee and Miller said that it is hard to predict the magnitude of the case spike.
“I think it's hard to predict the magnitude and overall impact of this spike because there are so many factors that determine those things. What I would say is that maximizing air circulation while indoors can be really helpful for reducing the likelihood of transmission. As the weather stays nice, trying to keep windows open and try to socialize outdoors as much as possible,” he said.
"I think it's hard to predict the magnitude and overall impact of this spike because there are so many factors that determine those things. What I would say is that maximizing air circulation while indoors can be really helpful for reducing the likelihood of transmission. As the weather stays nice, trying to keep windows open and try to socialize outdoors as much as possible."
Dr. Matthew Miller, director, Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research
Miller also noted wearing high quality masks in indoor environments can further help prevent the spread of the virus.
Almost three years have passed since the start of the pandemic and this time has allowed the medical community to develop many tools to effectively handle the virus when it resurges, such as new therapeutic modalities.
Mukherjee explained that no matter the severity of the case spike, she is confident in the tools and insight the healthcare community has developed for us to properly handle a virus resurgence.
“We are almost dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic. We have vaccines, we know how to deal with this, we know how to social distance, we know the ifs and buts of what to do. I think we are way better prepared than we were when it first hit us or the rounds that kept on coming after that,” she said.
"We are almost dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic. We have vaccines, we know how to deal with this, we know how to social distance, we know the ifs and buts of what to do. I think we are way better prepared than we were when it first hit us or the rounds that kept on coming after that."
Dr. Manali Mukherjee, affiliate scientist, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton research institute
More information on COVID-19 in Hamilton and prevention is available from the city of Hamilton website.
The hospital has taken measures to mitigate the surge of viral infections and its impact on hospital capacity, including reducing surgeries by one-third and transferring teens to adult hospitals
A combination of COVID-19, flu and an unprecedented rise of respiratory syncytial virus cases, has caused the McMaster Children’s Hospital to nearly reach a 135 per cent in-patient occupancy.
In a media release on Nov. 1, Hamilton Health Sciences outlined the measures they were taking to handle the surge in hospital occupancy, including an emphasis on virtual care appointments to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and working with regional hospital partners to optimize pediatric capacity in the region.
The most notable measure was the hospital’s decision to reduce the number of surgeries requiring hospital admission to five per week, or one per day. Instead, the hospital will focus on surgeries that do not require hospital admission, citing the lack of inpatient bed availability. These changes took effect on Nov. 4 and are expected to last at least four weeks, according to a memo obtained by Global News.
“These actions – including the decision to make further reductions in pediatric surgical activity – are only being taken because of the extraordinary pressure at [McMaster Children’s Hospital] and across the healthcare system,” said the media release.
These actions – including the decision to make further reductions in pediatric surgical activity – are only being taken because of the extraordinary pressure at [McMaster Children’s Hospital] and across the healthcare system.
Media Release from McMaster Children's Hospital
Additionally, the hospital plans to consider transferring a greater number of adolescent patients out of the children’s hospital and into other HHS sites, if deemed medically appropriate, and to consider transferring children to other hospitals in the general region. This measure follows a province-wide recommendation from Ontario's critical care COVID-19 command centre for adult hospitals to accept children 14 and older from pediatric hospitals that need intensive care.
The unprecedented volume of hospital patients is being felt throughout the province. The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto also might start transferring a small number of adolescents 14 and older, according to a statement obtained by The Globe and Mail.
A media briefing by the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa discussed postponing some non-urgent surgeries, expanding staffing and clinic hours and hiring more staff to address the surges. Dr. Mona Jabbour, Interim Chief of Pediatrics at CHEO, attributed reduced immunity to RSV and the flu as reasons for increased surges.
“Because we did not see these viruses in the last few years, we’re seeing them all coming together to older children with reduced immunity. We’re seeing babies, toddlers, younger and older children getting sick. It’s all happening at the same time,” said Jabbour in the media briefing.
Because we did not see these viruses in the last few years, we’re seeing them all coming together to older children with reduced immunity. We’re seeing babies, toddlers, younger and older children getting sick. It’s all happening at the same time.
Mona Jabbour, Interim Chief of Pediatrics at CHEO, in a Media Briefing
Hamilton Health Sciences urges residents to get their flu shots and up-to-date COVID vaccines and boosters to reduce the current surges in pediatric and adult hospitals.
With a more intense resurgence of the flu predicted to hit Canada this flu season, the Student Wellness Centre also recommends students to take their flu shot this flu season.
C/O @hamiltonartistsinc
Local artist-run centres remain committed to supporting community through global and local crises
From the climate change to war, homelessness to pandemics, there is no shortage of crises in the world. Community is crucial to not only navigating and surviving these crises, but also thriving in such times.
Over my last few years as part of the arts and culture team, I’ve seen how important not only art is for brining communities together, but also the artist-run centres that house these works.
Hamilton’s artist-run centres, including Hamilton Artist Inc. and Centre[3] for Artistic + Social Practice, are core components of not only the city’s arts community, but also the larger Hamilton community. These centres have been committed to holding space for community from the day they opened.
Art is something many turn to in times of crisis and these artist-run centres can act as waystations, holding space for this work and offering refuge and an opportunity to connect with others.
“A lot of times art is a way for people to reflect on what's going on around them. It's a way for them to cope and to grieve and to heal and to find hope. For a lot of folks, art is a way to find meaning but also, it's where they find survival and solace. An artist-run center is a way for people to come together around those sentiments and it's a way for us to gather but also share,” said Lesley Loksi Chan, artistic director of Centre[3].
Like everyone else, artist-run centres have been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve had to close their physical location, shift their programming online and contend with the challenges each new wave brings. However, they have actively risen to the challenge, continuing to host thoughtful exhibitions and valuable programming while supporting artists.
For example, the Inc. has continued to support artists financially as they had prior to the pandemic, while also expanding their staff, keeping individuals employed throughout the ongoing crises.
“We've committed to finding experimental and innovative ways to pay artists. During this time, our artists fees and the amount of money we're pushing out into people's pockets has not decreased . . . Artists are also experiencing this crisis. Things like the housing crisis are affecting artists who are primarily renters and in a precarious position, so we want to find ways to support them,” explained Derek Jenkins, the executive director of the Inc.
Centre[3] has also worked to create new opportunities for artists through workshops and the opening of their new studio space this past November, while recognizing crises affect different people in different ways and as such, people will need support in different ways.
“As an artist run center it's really our responsibility to pay attention to those different types of effects that are being played out in the community and to really try to offer everyone the support that they need . . . even in terms of what does it mean to offer artistic support? For some people that is equipment; for some people, that is time and space; for some people it is moral support,” said Chan.
To offer the support the community needs, it’s important to understand the issues. The artists behind these centres are often politically and socially engaged individuals and they have been working on building an awareness and an understanding of these crises internally over the years through symposiums and workshops.
“We're constantly doing consciousness raising . . . when there was a fever pitch around helplessness and encampments and there was a lot of work being done in the city, but . . . we were in a position to understand our relationship to that work because we had been building this capacity internally,” explained Jenkins.
The housing crisis has been a concern for many in Hamilton these past few months. For the Inc., part of their response to this local crisis included issuing a statement in support encampment residents and Black housing advocates, following the violent actions of the Hamilton Police Service at the end of November.
“It's an act of solidarity. I think it's important, but it's not material, right? It doesn't actually impact people's safety in ways that are material and we do want to find ways with our internal
and external policies to support people and to make them feel safe and welcome in our community. . . We want to find ways we can contribute to the work people are doing to take care of their neighbors and actually do work to help our neighbors feel safe and feel supported,” said Jenkins.
There is a debate around the effectiveness of statements as a tool, as while they can be an opportunity to show support and share resources, they also run the risk of being performative.
Centre[3] also recently released a statement in solidarity with Ukraine, and both Jenkins and Chan spoke further about how the decision to issue a statement can be a difficult one.
“There’s so much conversation that goes into it...and I feel like [the statements] are there to actually encourage discussion,” said Chan.
Both viewed statements as an important way of showing support and solidarity but stressed that it cannot be the only action taken; it should be done in conjunction with other, including sharing resources and considering possible adjustments to internal policies.
There will never be any shortage of crises in the world, but one does not have to face them alone. Hamilton’s artist-run centres continue to support the community through these times and to holding space for conversation and connection.
“It's an important thing to remember...it’s not a one-way relationship and building those relationships and building and practicing good relations involves recognizing whole people, recognizing whole communities and our attachments [and] obligations to each other,” said Jenkins.
C/O Georgia Kirkos
Batton down the hatches cause Mac is staying the course for the rest of the semester
McMaster will remain open for the rest of the semester, despite over 100 COVID-19 cases reported last week.
Sean Van Koughnett, the dean of students, said that the numbers do not come as a shock given how many students are back on campus now.
“It's not necessarily surprising, and in fact, the rates have been, in my view, relatively low throughout the term given we have around 3500 students living in close quarters in residence as well as thousands off-campus. It's a very social environment,” said Van Koughnett.
On March 21, Hamilton repealed the city’s face coverings and masks by-law, making face coverings no longer required in places other than high-risk settings such as public transit.
However, McMaster has announced that the university’s mask mandate will remain in place for the rest of the semester.
Van Koughnett said that the university’s decision to keep its mask mandate in place offers an additional layer of protection that is still necessary.
Whether other protocols, such as completion of daily screenings via MacCheck, will continue to be in place, are ongoing discussions the university continues to have.
C/O Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University
Keep your masks on because it’s not over yet.
On March 21, 2022, Ontario will end most mask mandates, according to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore.
“Ontario will remove the mandatory masking requirement for most settings on March 21, with the exception of select settings such as public transit, health care settings, long-term care homes and congregate care settings,” read a statement issued by Moore.
Does this mean McMaster students can remove their masks starting March 21? No, it does not.
According to an email statement from McMaster’s Media Relations Manager Wade Hemsworth, “McMaster will maintain its longstanding mask requirement at all indoor sites until at least the end of the winter semester, including exams.”
"McMaster will maintain its longstanding mask requirement at all indoor sites until at least the end of the winter semester, including exams."
Wade Hemsworth, McMaster University Media relations Manager
The maintenance of McMaster’s masking requirement follows a similar announcement regarding the continuation of the school’s vaccination mandate.
When can students expect a relaxation to health and safety measures? Publicly assisted post-secondary institutions in Ontario, like McMaster, have jurisdiction to develop policies that govern academic and administrative matters, including health and safety measures such as masking or vaccine-
related policies.
If public health guidance remains the same, it is expected that the masking requirement and vaccination mandate will remain-in-place until at least the end of the 2022 winter term.
C/O Travis Nguyen
Students reflect on their relationship with their body throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, many people have reported increasingly negative body image. The Silhouette discussed body image over the past two years with some students at McMaster University.
Serena Habib, a student at McMaster, discussed the many negative conversations surrounding body image that took place online over lockdown periods.
“There was just a lot of public discourse around, like, how we're always sitting at our desks and getting snacks and I thought that was a lot of unnecessary pressure on people,” said Habib.
Despite this, Habib said that her body image improved over the course of the pandemic due to the communities that she found on social media. Habib recognized that this was not the case for everyone, noting that other people may have found less supportive communities online.
“[The pandemic] gave me the time to be able to explore body positivity on Instagram and podcasts that really helped with body image and with taking care of [my] physical and mental health, which I don't know if I would have gotten to do if it wasn't for having that time to myself over the pandemic,”
Serena Habib
Sarah Coker, another student at McMaster, also reported experiencing more positive body image after the pandemic. The pandemic helped Coker’s body image because when gyms closed, she began to explore other forms of exercise that felt better for her. Coker, who was diagnosed with anorexia in 2016, stated that, prior to the pandemic, she found herself overusing the gym.
“Now I just like to go on a lot of walks and listen to podcasts and go out more in nature and [I] do it just because I want to and it feels good for my body, rather than having to be like ‘Okay, I need to get like this [and] do all these reps and sets,’” explained Coker.
As well, Coker explained that she has lost some muscle since the start of the pandemic and that her time away from the gym made her appreciate the strength that she had built up.
"[Being] female and being powerful and strong . . . [The pandemic] made me miss that and I hope I can get back to that eventually,” said Coker.
McMaster student Ekta Mishra also reflected on how the pandemic made her place more value on her physical strength. Mishra noted that, prior to the pandemic, she was far more concerned about how others would view her appearance. However, being in isolation allowed Mishra to redefine beauty standards for herself.
“[Body image] had to do a lot with exercise and how I wanted my muscles to look and what I felt was acceptable and feminine. [T]hat became something that I got to decide for myself, rather than something that other people [and their] reactions would decide . . . Not facing the scrutiny of the people around you every single day makes a difference in how you begin to perceive yourself,” said Mishra.
On the other hand, McMaster student Sadie Macdonald stated that when the pandemic first began, it impacted her body image very negatively.
“There was a lot of time and I was like what else am I going to do? I might as well focus on what I look like. . . So that wasn't good. I found myself slipping into [not] a disorder of any sort but definitely disordered thinking patterns and behaviors,”
Sadie Macdonald
Macdonald said that she found herself exercising excessively and failing to eat breakfast. However, Macdonald said that she caught herself slipping into unhealthy thinking patterns and made an effort to view her body more positively. She added that during the second lockdown, she was quarantining with a friend and she had developed a much healthier relationship with exercise.
Although she was still exercising a lot, she was doing activities that she enjoyed, such as going on long bike rides. She stated that because she was exercising for fun, she was not focusing on her appearance.
“I shouldn't see moving my body as a means to an end in that way. [Exercise] should have value in itself because it makes me feel good and if it's not making me feel good then I don't think I'm doing it right,”
Sadie Macdonald
For her, focusing on body neutrality through the pandemic was more valuable than focusing on body positivity.
“Looking in the mirror and being like ‘wow, you're beautiful today’ doesn't help me as much as being like ‘you're so much more interesting than that; you don't even need to look in the mirror today’,” said Macdonald.
Neha Shah, the director of the McMaster Students Union Women and Gender Equity Network, discussed the strengths of the body neutrality movement, explaining that it does more to address systemic issues than body positivity.
Shah also explained that another aspect of COVID-19 body image is the impact that the pandemic has had on the ability of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals to present in a way that is comfortable for them.
“For a lot of students, quarantining at home has made things difficult for them; being able to express themselves in the way that feels right to them is maybe not safe for them at home or just not as comfortable,” explained Shah.
In order to combat this by providing students with gender affirming items and to provide students with sexual health items, WGEN began an initiative last year to provide students with gift cards to access these items.
“Last year, my predecessor and the former director of [the Student Health Education Centre] collaborated to create a program called collective care, which is our peer-run resource distribution program that is able to run virtually. How it works is students will request a gift card — we have a range of stores that we’re able to provide gift cards to — of a certain amount and indicate why they need it and then we're able to send out these e-gift cards anonymously to them,” said Shah.
Body image can be tricky to navigate and is ultimately a unique experience for every individual. With all the challenges that the pandemic has posed, the relationship that each person has with their own body can change in both positive and negative ways. However, when we support one another in our communities, we can help alleviate some of the stressors around feeling comfortable in our own skin.
The Silhouette: Please introduce yourselves.
Hilary Menezes: My name is Hilary Menezes. I'm a third-year student at McMaster and I'm currently pursuing an English and cultural studies degree with a minor in political science and a certificate in leadership.
Madison Menezes: I'm Madison and I'm in my second year of mechanical and biomedical engineering.
Please elaborate on the Love Packs project.
HM: Love Packs was started in the pandemic around Valentine's Day last year . . . We realized that there are a lot of people who are super generous and donate around Christmas time and holiday season. But, moving into the new year, we realized that there weren't really many supports for those facing homelessness or abuse [and] in shelters . . . So, when my work hosted a goal funder, we came up with Love Packs. When we were stuck at home during the pandemic, we wanted to pick up something actionable. That was the main driving force. Just hearing about the reactions of all of the women and children and homeless folks that we provided for inspired us to continue it to be more than a one-time initiative. We ended up getting to do another one in the summer and now we're taking it into 2022.
MM: Just thinking about the degree of how much more difficult the pandemic is for someone living in a shelter was also part of my reason for wanting to really help. We just wanted to make sure that we could provide them with things that they could use day to day and then also other gifts that would make them happier.
HM: To add on, something kind of unique about Love Packs is we tried to go beyond things like toilet paper, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste. We provide that but we also try to include little gifts. We wanted to give people things that they might consider to be luxuries and might not have access to. These are actual people who deserve to be celebrated. So, we had the opportunity last year to give some fun gifts like makeup, snack packs and different kinds of fancy coffees and teas. We had Starbucks donate some fancy coffee. We really try to incorporate that into our philosophy of not only just giving the essentials but trying to go a little bit above and beyond that.
Could you guys talk a little bit more about the Love Packs team?
HM: Last year we did it with just the two of us in our basement. Especially with COVID, it was one of the things where we thought that we can't get more hands because at that point, vaccines weren't so much a thing and cases were through the roof. Still, it was great to see so many people text me. We even had some friends from middle school who we hadn't talked to in five years offer donations. It was cool to see people helping in that capacity. Even then, two or three of my close friends and our parents helped us transport different things when we had super large donations or for the final trip when we brought everything to the shelters. Our communities helped out a lot and we were so grateful. That inspired us to make it bigger this year and grow the team. We’re gaining some traction and are actively recruiting volunteers right now. In fact, we just hired our [executive] team because we want to grow this to reach out to more people this year and give Love Packs to more people.
How have you guys been feeling about just the General McMaster community then? And I guess the communities that you've been interacting with as a whole
MM: I started at McMaster without really having been on campus. But I found it fascinating even with online learning. It's just a really welcoming environment and I definitely found a lot of people who are happy to connect. We've even had one of the local doughnut shops, Donut Monster, donate to our project. It was just really nice to see people in Hamilton contributing as well.
HM: It's been amazing to see how many people from McMaster have either donated to us or businesses have supported us. Actually, the guy who drove the doughnuts from Donut Monster to our home in Mississauga, I met him through mock trial at McMaster. So, I had only known him for maybe not even a year through meetings once a week. But he still said that he'd do it. It was great to see how people are so willing to help out.
C/O Yoohyun Park
Stringent restrictions on clubs and gathering spaces have changed student nightlife
Nights on the town replaced by Netflix parties, social gatherings constrained to a Zoom screen — those have been the realities of the university social scene for the last year. The spaces once meant for dancing and screaming at the top of your lungs just to find your voice gone the next day have disappeared over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hole left by where these social spaces once stood is felt not only by students, but also by business owners and the greater Hamilton community.
Restrictions and guidelines for nightclubs, music venues and entertainment establishments have been especially stringent over the course of the pandemic, largely due to concerns over the ability to enforce mask-wearing and social distancing. As a result, a number of local nightlife hotspots have had to creatively rethink the way they operate and do business within the Hamilton community.
“Nightclubs weren't even able to open up — we're lucky because we had seating and an in-house food menu. If you didn't have seats, you weren't able to open until July 2021, so we removed all our couches from the VIP area and moved bottle service onto the dance floor. It turned into a seated party,” said Dash Majithia, manager of Zen Lounge.
Brodie Schwendiman, owner and operator of The Casbah, a live music venue on King Street West, echoed similar sentiments in regards to the ways they’ve adapted their business to meet demands of ever-changing restrictions.
“From an operational standpoint, the main way we have changed how we interact with the community would be that we have a patio now . . . People know Casbah as a place to go to see music bands or listen to a DJ. Most people wouldn’t go to The Casbah for dinner so it required a lot of extra promotional energy,” explained Schwendiman.
Though the transformation of these spaces into mainly food establishments has allowed them to continue operating given the less stringent restrictions on restaurants, there’s been a disappearance of the floors once meant for dance, crowding and heat islands of energy.
The limited operations of these gathering spaces has negative ramifications on the student social scene and larger Hamilton nightlife.
“Why do people want to go to the nightclub? To talk to other people, to dance — all of the things that were not allowed. [At Zen Lounge] you had to sit in your group that you came with. There was a max of six or eight people per table. You weren't allowed to dance. You weren't allowed to walk around and mingle,” said Majithia.
There finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of McMaster students’ return to campus. However, having been away from campus for so long, there is now an entire generation of undergrads who have never had a ‘normal’ undergraduate social experience. And, those social experiences aren’t always easy to find — especially right now.
Schwendiman went on to describe that, even before the pandemic, there were difficulties for small music venues like his in reaching a student audience. Non-campus-affiliated groups had a more difficult time advertising events geared towards students in the areas around campus and the variable commute to off-campus venues added a barrier to access for many.
However, nightlife establishments have now almost completely lost their student client base. In a niche market where business owners often came to know their regular student visitors on a first-name basis, the undergrad and student crowds have been especially sparse as of late.
“I feel like we've lost touch with all these groups in the last few years because the people that were coming to us to do their parties and stuff moved on. The kids never came back,” said Majithia.
On the brink of a full return to campus for the Winter 2022 semester, students back in the Hamilton area can slowly find their way into the hustle and bustle of student life and with it, the nightlife of the surrounding areas.
“Finding the time is sometimes challenging, but what I would say to students is that I encourage them to carve out time to do their own research about Hamilton's cultural scene. Online, there's all kinds of places to learn about what's going on. Social media is such an important thing now, so it's very easy to access what's going on just by surfing around,” said Schwendiman.
Despite the difficulties posed by restrictions that nightlife establishments have dealt with in the face of the pandemic, business owners and the Hamilton community are excited to welcome students back to the area. Take a night off and see what it means to experience the vibrant social spheres of the Hamilton community.
Lindsay Parry shares her love of art and fibres through her blooming small yarn business
Small businesses were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. They were constantly adapting to new opening plan policies, lockdowns and safety protocols and many were left frustrated with the lack of government support. However, a few industries providing remote, online experiences, services and products flourished and even made record sales.
One of the industries which thrived during the pandemic was the hobby and arts and craft supply industry. This included Hello Stella, a hand-dyed yarn business specializing in untreated wool, meaning the yarn comes straight from a sheep and without chemical processing.
“My business actually, I would say, more so blossomed. I think a lot of people found themselves at home with a lot more time and they were interested in picking up a new hobby,” said Lindsay Parry, owner and founder of Hello Stella.
“My business actually, I would say, more so blossomed. I think a lot of people found themselves at home with a lot more time and they were interested in picking up a new hobby,”
Lindsay Parry, Owner & Founder of Hello Stella
With increasing time spent at home, many people were seeking new pastime hobbies and there was a surge in people expressing interest in pursuing arts and crafts, including knitting, crocheting and fibre arts.
Parry herself initially fell in love with fibre arts for its ability to help her relax and relieve stress. Prompted by wanting to make her husband a handmade knit gift for Christmas one year, she first learned to knit 12 years ago.
“[Knitting] has become a daily thing for me and it helps greatly with stress. It’s just something I find I take a few minutes every day and, it could be something small like a sock, but it kind of grounds me a little bit more,” said Parry.
Named after her dog, Hello Stella started in 2017 when Parry became a new mom. She was faced with the choice of returning to her day job or staying home with her son. Ultimately, she decided to leave her job. During this time, she merged her two interests in the arts and fibres through Hello Stella.
“[Hello Stella] had always been a dream of mine to start and I kind of decided, if not now, then when would I? So I took a chance,” said Parry.
She always knew she wanted to lead a creative life and her career to reflect her passion.
This year marks the business’ fifth. It has grown tremendously since it first launched. In the beginning, Parry only sold handmade knit items, such as hats and scarves. She now sells various types of fibres, patterns, tea, stickers and art and her business Instagram page has garnered more than 34 thousand followers.
Despite all the achievements and successes during the pandemic, Hello Stella could not escape all the negative consequences of the pandemic lockdowns.
“Peru is one of the major hubs in the world for wool distribution and they closed down for [months], which greatly impacted wool being produced and spun,” explained Parry.
Peru is home to 87 per cent of the world’s alpaca population, making it a major hub for alpaca wool. In 2018, the country exported 30 tons of alpaca fibre. However, in March 2020, President Martín Vizcarra announced a nation-wide lockdown, affecting business operations and exports. The strict lockdown measures lasted until late June and July of 2020.
The supply shortage is what forced Hello Stella to explore more domestic, local yarn and shift from chemically treated wool to pure, untreated wool. Last year, Parry introduced domestic wool into a wide range of products and began working with local farms as well.
Her favourite part of the business is the process of dying the yarn — the most creative aspect of running the shop. She uses her background in colour theory to mix and merge beautiful, unique and captivating colours, such as lilac fields, a dusty mauve purple and Patina, a blend of warm orange and turquoise.
Coming up, Hello Stella will participate as a vendor at Hamilton’s Fibre Forge market at The Cotton Factory on Mar. 22. Whether you are a crochet or knitting enthusiast or interested in exploring your fibre options for your next crafting project, the market is the perfect opportunity to touch and see Hello Stella’s fibre products in-person.
