Inuvik wants Google to update its Street View

Inuvik is placing a formal request with Google this week to update the community’s Street View images, last captured in 2009.

Emilie Leneveu, the town’s marketing and communications coordinator, said the request comes as part of the town’s Map Mondays campaign, which aims to highlight how much Inuvik has changed over the past 15 years.

Since Google’s last visit, Inuvik has seen major developments like the opening of the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, redevelopment around the town’s welcome centre, new businesses and expanded services.

According to Leneveu, the campaign originally focused on showing the community’s growth, but the town later explored whether a Street View update could happen. Leneveu said a search of Google’s plans showed the company was preparing to update imagery along the Dempster Highway to Eagle Plains by September.

While the Yukon is included in Google’s coverage plans, the Northwest Territories was not listed. With Google already planning travel through the region, she said the town saw an opportunity to request an extension north to Inuvik.

Leneveu said the community’s location – more than 200 kilometres above the Arctic Circle – presents challenges, but the planned trip along the Dempster Highway could make the additional travel possible.

“There are so many things happening in our town and so many differences from 2009 to today,” she told Cabin Radio.

“We thought, why not create that call to action to ask them to come and take some photographs and videos of all of the wonderful changes that exist from those 2009 photos all the way to today?

“It’s been quite some time since they’ve been here and we’d love to have them back … Why not bring Google Maps all the way to the Arctic Ocean and show what this beautiful region has to offer?”

The town hopes new images would capture updated street names and areas such as the Blueberry Patch, Mackenzie Road, the welcome centre and Chief Jim Koe Park.

Leneveu said outdated imagery can sometimes make it difficult for visitors to get an accurate picture of the community before arriving. Updated Street View images would give visitors a better sense of current accommodations, services and businesses while helping residents see a more accurate representation of their community, she said.

Tourists are often surprised by how much the area has changed, Leneveu said, adding: “Some of that might be a direct correlation to those outdated photos.”

“I have this vision of Google Maps coming down – maybe even during a softball tournament or during one of our festivals – and seeing all of the people out and about enjoying our town,” she said. “It would be a much more accurate representation of present-day.”

While the town has not yet formally contacted Google, it plans to do so this week.

Leneveu urges local business owners to update their hours of operation on Google and contact the town’s economic development department to be added to its business directory.

“To residents, I would remind folks that reviews go a very long way,” she said, “whether it be on Google or other platforms, making sure that we’re rewarding our small businesses and our enterprises and corporations in the area – and those that are owned by residents in the area – to ensure they’re getting the positive feedback they need to propel themselves forward.”

Asked about plans for updating Inuvik’s Street View, a spokesperson for Google said the company’s staff “don’t have anything to share on when the Street View team plans to return to Yellowknife.” (Google’s response did not mention Inuvik. Yellowknife’s own Street View was updated last year having previously also dated back to 2009.)

As for the mapping work scheduled in Eagle Plains, Google said it couldn’t share details about the route, noting there could be changes due to weather or driving conditions.