The Mayor of Yellowknife Rebecca Alty says the city is doing several things during the COVID-19 pandemic to help residents and prevent the spread of the virus.
“There is free parking offered downtown,” Mayor Alty said. “On 47th Street we have blocked off parking meters with blue bags, those are for COVID-19 testing patients.”
Mayor Alty says those parking spots are reserved for people who are getting tested and should not be used to park downtown.
The city is also offering free transit to bus riders.
“We know there are still essential services open and we know that a lot of residents rely on the transit system, therefore, we want to provide that for them,” Mayor Alty said. “Residents also rely on the service to get to work.”
However, the city is taking extra care of cleaning the buses Mayor Alty says and they are asking riders to keep social distancing measures in mind when choosing seats.
Mayor Alty says social distancing is a new term which residents need to be aware of.
“I wouldn’t say any of us used this term last month,” Mayor Alty said. “It means avoiding playdates, coffee meetings, visiting friend’s houses and if you have to go out make sure you keep at least six feet away from other people.”
Mayor Alty believes the term should be called “physical distancing” and residents should keep this in mind.
“Go out for a walk and breath the fresh air as long as your two metres away from other people,” Mayor Alty said. “The best thing we can do for our health now is abiding by the warnings because the virus is very contagious.”
The City would like to remind residents that, “Its important for us all to remain calm and thoughtful, get information from reliable sources, take precautions to keep you and your families safe, and remain community-minded supporting friends and neighbours who may need a little more support if you can.”
For more information on COVID-19 from the City of Yellowknife visit www.yellowknife.ca/en/living-here/coronavirus-disease–covid-19-.asp
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