Pop-up isolation centre ready to go at arena

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — Windsor-Essex officials are hoping it is not needed, but they have planned a 50-bed isolation unit at the newly named Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre, in the rink formerly known as Heinz Arena.

Working through the Ontario Ministry of Health, local volunteers and officials erected the 50 pop-up units on the main arena floor.

The units were provided courtesy of Bruce Power, the electricity provider in Bruce County.

“We would like to thank Bruce Power for the very generous donation of isolation pods,” said Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald. “This proactive measure will provide additional isolation space should the need arise, as we continue to combat COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex. A municipality our size cannot do this on our own, and it is reassuring to know we have partners like Bruce Power coming to the aid of our community.”

MacDonald also credited Bruce Krauter, Chief of Essex-Windsor EMS, who facilitated the isolation units.

Krauter organized a number of volunteers from the community, who erected the pods last weekend.

A roll-away bed is ready for an occupant if required.

Each unit will have a brand new roll-away bed and mattress, along with table, chair and linens.

The arena will be set up to allow those isolated to move freely within the arena itself, utilizing the Kinsmen canteen for television, wi-fi and to eat meals, which will be catered in.

The federal government has agreed to foot the bill for the isolation centre, but MacDonald hopes it doesn’t come to that.

“It’s there if we need it,” she said. “But we really hope we don’t need it.”

MacDonald explained that the isolation units will be for close contacts of those who have tested positive. “It’s not a field hospital,” she said. The plan is to have some medical personnel on staff to monitor the ‘residents’, and isolate them further if someone falls ill. There will also be security on hand to oversee the operation.

So far, area hotels are handling the influx of positive cases and close contacts from the farms, with the help of the local partners, Canadian Red Cross and Emergency Management Ontario.

The floor of the former Heinz Arena is set-up with 50 isolation pods in the event that numbers of positive cases in the agri-food sector rise beyond the space in local hotels.