Community rallies to support Carleton Place barber fined for giving outdoor haircuts during Step 1 of reopening
Posted Jul 6, 2021 02:11:00 PM.
A Carleton Place barber is thanking the community for its support after he was slapped with a provincial fine for giving outdoor haircuts.
Barber shops and hair salons were allowed to reopen on Wednesday, June 30, when Ontario entered Step 2 of its Roadmap to Reopening Plan, but Towne Barber Owner Kyle Blundell had already set up an outdoor barber chair under a pop-up gazebo a couple of weeks earlier, while still in the first phase of the three-step plan.
Blundell says masks were mandatory and that he took precautions, but that the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit gave him an $880 fine for operating his business against regulations.
“Personally I was just trying to do something fun for our town, and make some money for my family,” Blundell said.
In another post, Blundell says the support he received after being ticketed was overwhelming, with the community coming together to raise enough money to cover the fine and then some.
“We decided with the extra bit we received from people helping with the fine, we are going to make a donation to Lanark Food Bank to pay it forward,” Blundell said.
Blundell's shop was allowed to reopen when restrictions were eased, last week.
