The Canada Post Office building in Yellowknife is set to get a face-lift, an official name, and a few new upgrades. That is according to President, Darrell Beaulieu, of 6133 NWT Ltd (the company that owns the building). But new planters or a seating area for residents is not a part of the plan.
Following a public outcry on social media to some of the visible changes made to the building last week, Beaulieu responded with a press release this morning.
“The planters in the front of the building were removed to accommodate the exterior repairs and painting,” reads the press release. Evidence of rot was also found in the wall behind the planters.
Beaulieu says the building is also in desperate need of repairs to its mechanical and electrical systems.
Residents were ultimately concerned as to what this could mean for the vulnerable population and the hub outside the building they relied on for decades.
The goal is to revitalize the space and “amplify our Indigenous presence,” says Beaulieu.
“Since we acquired the building, it’s always been known as the post office building, so it really didn’t reflect the area and the people that traditionally use this area,” he says.
The building will be named Akaitcho Post, to honour the legacy of former peacemaker and chief of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation who was revered and respected amongst the European settlers and other Indigenous groups.
Some of the other upgrades include an access ramp, a wood pellet boiler, an elevator, and a new art installation.
A public ceremony is set to take place in the spring.
