Here’s which Brampton swimming spots are now open

Bikash Moktan / Flickr

Calling all beach and outdoor enthusiasts! Brampton’s lakes, outdoor pools and wading pools are now open.

Due to the current pandemic, all outdoor recreation facilities, lakes and pools were closed. However, the city has finally started to reopen with some safety measures.

Professor’s Lake is now open; however, visitors must reserve a three-hour timeslot to visit the beach by calling (905) 874-2350. The lake is open, dependent on the results of Region of Peel water quality testing results. Visitors must also stay in the installed markers, which denote beach areas for both group and individual use as well as stay two-metres away from other visitors. Staff will be on-site to take visitors to their reserved beach areas and to monitor physical distancing. The change room facilities will not be available to residents.

The Eldorado Park outdoor pool is also open pending the pool temperature and, as always, weather permitting. However, change room facilities, floatation devices and pool toys will not be available at this time, but visitors can bring their equipment. Visitors will have access to lifejackets upon request. In washrooms, every other sink and stall will be closed to encourage physical distancing.

The city’s wading pools will also open, weather permitting. Brampton currently operates three wading pools located at Gage Park, Chinguacousy Park and Balmoral Recreation Centre. Spray pad operating hours have been extended to 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, depending on the weather.

Peel Public Health encourages everyone to stay apart, wash your hands, wear a mask and get tested. Hand sanitizer will be available on-site at all locations. Residents must also wear non-medical masks or face coverings in all Brampton indoor public spaces, which is required by law since July 10.

Series of virtual multicultural festivals coming to Brampton soon

For those who miss attending festivals and local events, popular, multicultural festivals are coming to Brampton soon! 

Arts & Culture Initiative of South Asia festivals focus on South Asian arts, culture, and heritage through performances, workshops, Bollywood dance lessons and much more. South Asian culture encompasses India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, and residents are invited to watch dance groups, classical musicians, and popular singers as well as participate in many workshops. 

“The festival promotes local talent and includes an exciting line-up of emerging artists and well-known names in the entertainment industry that appeals to all ages,” said Festival Co-Art Director Arpan Banerjee.

The virtual festivals begin with VibrantBrampton, a heritage festival featuring performances from renowned and emerging artists including Bhoomi Trivedi, Navraj Hans, Sreerama Chandra, Parichay, Sarabjit Cheema and Aaman Trikha. Artists will be taking the virtual stage every Tuesday and Wednesday from July 21 to August 5, 2020.

Next, the VibrantStar finales will showcase six finalists battling to win the top prize in three categories- vocal, instrumental and dance beginning the week of July 20. 

Stemming from the demand for a classical music and dance platform, VibrantClassical is a new segment launched this year that includes local artists from around the GTA. Running every Thursday, artists will show off their skills starting August 20 for three consecutive weeks until September 3, 2020.

According to Arts & Culture Initiative of South Asia, classical music and dance has always aimed for the “classes” and not the “masses” But their goal is to let the masses experience and listen to the language of the soul. 

Don’t worry, they also have a unique festival for art lovers. META, a digital and modern art festival will live-stream exciting content every Tuesday and Thursday for the entire month of August. Tuesdays will be devoted to workshops and panels featuring local creators and partners, while Thursdays will feature live-streamed performances from global and local artists. Specifically, the first two weeks will celebrate local culture by focusing on Brampton creators and performers. 

“META aims to capture variations of digital and modern art all in one place and bring an experience unlike any other to Peel Region. It also hopes to engage the youth and young adults by providing an inter-cultural understanding of diverse cultures, arts and heritage,” writes Arts & Culture Initiative of South Asia. 

The last festival, the Visual Arts of South Asia festival, is an arts festival that provides artists with the opportunity to connect and create and promotes the visual arts through educational workshops and performances every Thursday starting July 23 until August 12. 

“More than ever now is when arts and music and culture have the power to not only uplift spirits but also to bring people together in these unprecedented times. Our festivals endeavour to do just that” says Ricky Bajaj, co-founder and president of the Arts & Culture Initiative of South Asia.

Residents can watch all live streams at https://www.facebook.com/vibrantbramptonfest. 

Popular Toronto Mexican restaurant to open new location in Brampton soon

Is there such a thing as too much Mexican food?

The answer is simeple, no way- and for those who are a fan of the infamous Burrito Boyz, you may want to visit this burrito joint once it opens.

Burrito Bandidos, which is owned by the original co-founder and chef of Burrito Boyz, is opening their doors in Brampton soon.

Located at 2 Dewside Drive in the Bramalea and Sandalwood area, the joint will feature delicious burritos, quesadillas and bowls using fresh ingredients and traditional recipes.

Burrito Bandidos cook their meals right in front of customers to offer a fresh and healthy alternative to fast-food restaurants. They are also committed to being eco-friendly by using bio-degradable or recyclable bags, containers, energy-efficient lighting and local ingredients.

So, what exactly will the new dining establishment serve?

Their menu is fully customizable with different mouth-watering toppings and meats. With over one million combinations, their primary filling includes Sauté Chicken, Pulled Pork Carnitas, Grilled Steak Asada, Baja Fish, Bean and Cheese and Stir Fry Tofu. If you are looking for something more extravagant, they have Soya Mix, Halibut Fish, Sauté Shrimp, Hali and Shrimp, Steak and Shrimp, Chicken and Shrimp Mix, Chicken and Steak as well as Mango Chicken.

The joint also features an array of different quesadillas including, Chicken and Steak, Halibut, Baja Fish, Shrimp, Chicken, Steak, Pork, Tofu and Cheese.

Though an official opening date for the Brampton location has yet to be announced, Burrito Bandidos also has locations across the GTA including, three in Downtown Toronto and one in Hamilton.

Brampton Library to host virtual trivia nights every week of summer

Calling all trivia lovers!

If you love all things trivia and are itching to demonstrate how knowledgeable you are about random worldly facts, then Brampton Library is putting on a virtual event just for you. 

The library will be hosting themed trivia nights each Thursday from June to September.

From 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., even the most hardcore fans of trivia will have their knowledge tested.

Are you ready to put your knowledge to the test? 

All residents have to do is sign up for the weeks they want to participate on Eventbrite. At the time of the event, click the access link sent in the event reminder email. It is recommended to use two devices, one for viewing the Webex screen and the other for answering questions on Kahoot. Residents can join the program 10 minutes earlier if they have any concerns about setting up their device(s).

Brampton Library will also be live streaming the game on their Facebook Page for those who are unable to register but still want to join in on the Kahoot game. 

Here is a list of the Trivia schedule: 

June 18 – Movie Trivia: General Knowledge, Hollywood Classics & Harry Potter Trivia

June 25 – Netflix and Your Favourite TV Shows

July 2 – Music Trivia: Canadian Artists, Instrumental Knowledge and Musicals

July 9 – Sports Trivia: Football, Basketball & Soccer

July 16 – Pop Culture Trivia: Superheroes, Fashion & Modern Slang

July 23 – Gold Medal Trivia (Olympics)

July 30 – School Subjects Trivia: Astronomy, Art & English

August 6 – Hollywood vs. Bollywood vs. Hollywood North

August 13 – Sitcom-o-Rama (Friends, The Office and The Simpsons)

August 20 – Chart-Topping Music Trivia

August 27 – Sports with Sticks Trivia: Baseball, Tennis & Hockey

September 3 – Some like it Hot (Cooking Trivia)

Will you be joining in on the game? 

A famous Filipino fried chicken chain is opening this fall in Brampton

Jollibee/ Facebook

Get ready, Brampton! A famous fast-food restaurant will be opening a new location in our city come fall.

Jollibee, the wildly popular Filipino fried chicken chain, is opening up at Bramalea City Centre near the main entrance.

The construction, undertaken by BUILD IT By Design, began on Monday, June 8 and is expected to be completed in September.

Jollibee began as a two-branch ice cream parlour in 1975 and later explored a hamburger concept. Today, they have over 1,000 restaurants worldwide from the Philippines to Brunei, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the U.S. Their most popular menu items include hamburgers, crispy chicken, spaghetti and more.

The chain already has locations across the GTA including, Mississauga, Scarborough, Thornhill and Toronto.

Watch out for the new store opening in Brampton as Jollibee continues on its mission of “spreading the joy of eating to everyone.”

Brampton restaurants and bars may look very different after COVID-19 pandemic

Downtown Brampton/ Twitter

The city has hopes to support local residents and business owners throughout this tough time.

They have just announced that they will allow local restaurants and bars to expand their outdoor spaces when they reopen.

Like many residents, Mayor Patrick Brown states that he is excited about the reopening of local restaurants.

“My family has been enjoying our local restaurants every Takeout Wednesday and I am very much looking forward to dining in outdoors and continuing to support local once it is permitted and safe to do so,” says Mayor Patrick Brown.

Which is why last week, Brampton City Council approved plans to support local restaurants and bars as they prepare for their eventual reopening. At this time, the Ontario Government has not permitted restaurants, bars and other establishments in the Region of Peel to reopen.

Regional Councillor Pat Fortini brought forward a motion requesting that local restaurants and bars be allowed to expand outdoor spaces to spur business recovery, after speaking with local restaurants Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill and Oscar’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill. The motion was passed unanimously.

“We have heard firsthand from our local restaurants how hard they’ve been hit as a result of COVID-19. As work continues on our gradual reopening, we will look at all avenues to help support our local businesses’ full and safe recovery,” says Gurpreet Dhillon, regional councillor and chair of Economic Development and Culture.

“Allowing businesses to plan for these changes to their outdoor spaces now, will help ensure they are ready to go when we receive the green light from the Province and Peel Public Health,” continues Regional Councillor and Vice-Chair of Economic Development and Culture Paul Vicente.

Local restaurants will be allowed to expand their patios onto sidewalks and private parking areas to accommodate more outdoor seating space. Outdoor patio and sidewalk permit fees will also be waived for 2020 to help local restaurants and small businesses in their recovery.

“As a long-time established and anchor business in downtown Brampton, we are so grateful for the support our community and the city have shown us during these very difficult times. These welcome changes announced by the city will allow us to accommodate more of our valued and missed customers in the safest way possible once we are allowed to reopen,” says Fanzorelli’s Restaurant & Wine Bar’s Owner Sabena Coulter. “I look forward to seeing everyone on our patio as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

According to the city, they will work closely with restaurants and businesses to help them expand low-risk operations while adhering to public health’s guidelines and physical distancing rules.

This plan is a part of the city’s “Support Local” campaign encouraging residents to explore, select and buy local during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future.