Bus service helps Seeley’s Bay residents get groceries

A local transportation company is stepping in to help Seeley's Bay residents shop for groceries, following the temporary closure of the community’s only food store.

Robert Hogan Bus Lines is organizing regular trips to Kingston, aimed particularly at residents who do not drive and need access to essential food supplies.

The initiative comes after Sweets Food Market closed in April following a fire, leaving the village without a local grocery option.

The bus line's general manager, Bobbi Jo Buchanan, said the company saw a need in the community and wanted to help fill the gap.

“We’re going to take them to Walmart in Kingston,” Buchanan said.

The first trip is scheduled for Saturday, with the bus departing at 9 a.m. from the medical plaza in Seeley’s Bay. Riders will be transported to a Walmart store in Kingston for grocery shopping before returning to the community around noon.

The service is expected to run every other Saturday and will be supported by volunteers until the local grocery store reopens.

There has been no update on the cause of the fire at Sweets Food Market or when the business is expected to resume operations.

The temporary transportation service is intended to provide a practical solution for residents facing limited access to groceries in the meantime.

Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.