Hay River becomes latest NWT municipality to close facilities

Hay River joined Fort Smith and Yellowknife on Monday in announcing the closure of a range of municipal facilities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The municipalities’ decisions came on a day of near-constant closures. Schools in the NWT had earlier been instructed to close, while Yellowknife’s museum announced its closure on Monday morning.

Hay River waited until after a council meeting on Monday evening to announce its community centre, visitor centre, and fire hall would be closed to the public from the beginning of Tuesday onward.

The town hall will be open to the public only from 12-2pm, Tuesday-Friday this week. Hay River’s library will close from Tuesday onward.

In the Dehcho, Fort Simpson closed to the public its recreation centre, fitness centre, library, and village office.

Inuvik said it would close to the public the town’s Midnight Sun Complex, library, town hall, and town office from the end of Tuesday.

“While public events and programs run by the Town of Inuvik have been suspended, the provision of all essential services – such as water, sewer, emergency response, garbage collection, solid waste site operations, road maintenance – will remain,” read a statement.

“The Town will update residents as the situation develops.”

Links to community coronavirus info:
Yellowknife | Inuvik | Norman Wells | Fort Smith | Behchokǫ̀ | Hay River

Behchokǫ̀’s sportsplex was closed indefinitely on Monday but government service offices in the community remained operating on regular hours as of Monday evening.

In Yellowknife, the city’s fieldhouse, multiplex, swimming pool, community arena, curling club, and public library are set to close on Wednesday.

Events and programs run by the City of Yellowknife are suspended. The city’s visitors centre will close on Tuesday.

The Fort Smith public notice said the town had assessed its essential services and was working with local businesses and service providers.

Fort Simpson’s facilities will be closed for at least the next two weeks.

As of Monday afternoon, there were no confirmed or probable cases of Covid-19 in the Northwest Territories.

Hay River and Inuvik have yet to announce similar measures.

On Friday, Norman Wells cancelled a number of events and the youth centre. The town implemented additional measures at facilities that remain open.