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COMMUNITY REPORT: Pangnirtung hopes to receive funding for families

Pangnirtung community remains informed and "fairly calm" during COVID-19 concerns, says Senior Administrative Officer Daryl Dibblee. photo coutesy of Heidi-Ann Wild

All community activities that would encourage gatherings have been shut down in Pangnirtung. The community centre and library are closed.

“The atmosphere seems to be fairly calm and settled down,” said Daryl Dibblee, Pangnirtung’s Senior Administrative Officer (SAO).

Individuals, who have been self-isolating, have been provided with food and hampers to help them stay at home, explained Dibblee.

The Pangnirtung community is “certainly” adhering to the self-isolation rule, but social distancing is not being followed by all. Kids can still be seen hanging around stores, explained the SAO.

“It’s hard because all our recreational facilities are shut down,” he said.

The hamlet of Pangnirtung has submitted a “social distancing on the land proposal” to the federal and territorial governments. The goal is to “try to get as many families out on the land,” said Dibblee. The funding from the proposal would allow the hamlet to cover the food and gas expenses of families, who are going out on the land, he explained.

Although closed to regular activities, the community centre has become the new location for the Council Chambers. It allows counsellors to meet while providing space to adhere to social distancing rules.

The community centre is also being used to hold group meetings involving the RCMP or health officials. The meetings take place once a week or when necessary to discuss community issues, said Dibblee.

Cargo flights are bringing in plenty of food and supplies into the community.

Hamlet Day, which was suppose to be April 6, has been postponed. There is no set date yet.

“We in this community feel that Department of Health and territorial government is actually doing a really good job,” said the SAO, adding there is good communication.

Receiving updated information on a daily basis is helping to reduce the anxiety of people within the community, said Dibblee.

"People have information that lessens the anxiety. That’s what we are seeing,” he said.