Services ramping up for return of thousands of Yellowknifers

When thousands of Yellowknife evacuees begin returning home Wednesday afternoon, many basic services will be available but others will take a bit longer to get up and running again.

Yesterday the territory's health department issued an update on health services, which remain reduced while healthcare workers return to the territory.

Returning residents arriving before 8 p.m. will be able to get some grocery shopping in. Both the Yellowknife Co-op grocery store and the uptown Independent Grocer will be open. The Co-op is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the uptown Independent is open from noon to 8 p.m. It is unclear when the downtown Independent Grocer store will be open. The Co-op gas bar is also open.

Co-op manager Justin Nelson urged customers to resist the temptation to do a week's worth of grocery shopping as soon as they get back. "Just buy what you need, just be courteous, think about the person that's coming in the store later on in the evening or the next day."

Most city drug stores are open. Sutherlands has been open regular hours during the evacuation period. Shopper's Drug Mart, the Co-op drug store and the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy are operating on reduced hours.

The city's largest daycare is planning to re-open on Monday, the same day students are scheduled to return to school. The Yellowknife Daycare Association cares for about 104 children. Executive director Lauren Hanley said on Tuesday they were trying to get 35 staff members back to Yellowknife.

"We have to get in and clean the entire facility. I know it was getting dusty and smokey from some windows being open earlier in the week," said Hanley. "So the entire facility needs to be cleaned. Our kitchen is going to take the most work. We didn't anticipate being gone so long, so we're going to have to go through all the fridges and the kitchen and assess what's going on there."

Yellowknife mayor Rebecca Alty said basic city services, such as garbage pickup and sewer pump outs, are going to resume on Thursday.

"The solid waste facility [garbage dump] will be open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and we are waiving the tipping fee, but it's just for residential garbage, so please don't bring your construction projects," said Alty.

It is unclear when city facilities, such as the field house, arenas and the pool will be reopening.

Edward Eggenberger, manager and part owner of the city's two liquor stores says his staff is going to be returning with everybody else, starting Wednesday. He said the stores will not be open on Wednesday, but he's hoping to have enough staff to open before the weekend.