Being a kid in Sandy Hill, during the Coronavirus pandemic

Sofia and Emma Barrette

Our school, Viscount Alexander Public.School, is now closed, along with all other schools in Ontario, for an extra two weeks because of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Like other kids, we were kind of excited that we would have a longer March Break! But then imagine how disappointed we were when all of our extracurricular activities and upcoming choir performances were cancelled, when we were told we couldn’t see our friends, when shows, like Disney on Ice, that we were so eager to see, also got cancelled. We definitely did not know what we would do with all this time we now had on our hands.

To pass the time and to do something productive, instead of staying on the electronics all day, we started going to Strathcona Park to feed the ducks, walk along the river, and play on the structures. It really is wonderful to live near a river full of life! We’re also going on long walks around the neighbourhood, cleaning the sewer heads (we need to avoid flooding) and picking up recycling along the way. We’ve also discovered great new books and movies. We can no longer invite friends over, but we have been playing basketball and 4-square outside with a few neighbours on the street. After all, it’s not so bad. We’ve rediscovered the great things about living in Sandy Hill.

Ed— After this was written, rules changed to allow only walk-throughs in parks and play structures are off limits.