It’s a case where social media ran ahead of reality.
Courthouse Square in Goderich re-opened on Friday for the first time since an F3 tornado hit the town on August 21st.
The good news attracted both pedestrians and motorists — who were excited more at the symbolic aspects of recovery than what the eye revealed.
Many areas remained cordonned off, as demolition of a number of “C” categories buildings — those worst affected by the August 21st tornado, proceeds.
Access to the Huron County Courthouse is restricted due to continuing asbestos removal — the Couthouse is a “hard hat zone”, according to the Ministry of Labour.
Concensus among the crowd on hand — reopening the Square is an important sign life is returning to normal.
Huron Chamber of Commerce CEO Judy Crawford describes the scene on the Square as a virtual traffic jam.
Businesses continue to re-open on the Square and nearby core-area streets at a rate of several each day.
Crawford says stores and services that have opened their doors will be identified with red-white-and-blue bunting so shoppers can identify them more easily.
There is still much recovery work to be done in the Square and at least a few buildings are so structurally compromised that they’ll have to be demolished.
