City reopening some facilities this weekend

The City of Yellowknife is reopening some facilities to the public this weekend following a weeks-long closure due to a wave of Covid-19 infections. 

The city announced Friday morning it will be reopening many facilities effective Saturday including city hall, the library, fieldhouse, multiplex and the dump. Yellowknife public transit will also resume regular service including all express bus routes which had been suspended. 

The Ruth Inch Memorial Pool and Yellowknife Community Arena will remain closed while activities deemed high-risk, like contact sports, continue to be suspended. 

Screening, proof of vaccination, capacity restrictions, and physical distancing requirements will remain in place at city facilities. Masks are required in all indoor public spaces across the territory including public transit.

The city closed its facilities and suspended programming on January 8 following advice from the territory’s chief public health officer, Dr Kami Kandola, as the number of positive Covid-19 cases climbed. 

Dr Kandola announced earlier this week that recommendations to study and work from home and avoid non-essential travel in several communities, including Yellowknife, will lift on Monday, as Covid-19 cases are believed to have reached their peak. 

As of Thursday evening, there were a total of 696 active Covid-19 cases in the Yellowknife region.